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Recent Blog Posts
Removing Green Card Conditions: What to Know
Getting green cards through marriage to American citizens still comes with attached strings. Typically, “conditional” residency applies for initial two-year periods while immigration officials watch marriages closely for legitimacy. Post-two years, foreign spouses must confirm genuine marriages by petitioning removal of conditions. Failing this mandatory next step can jeopardize your conditional residency entirely. An Illinois immigration lawyer can help you ensure you are on the right track through the process of removing the conditions.
Understand Requirements
Remember, conditionally permanent resident status and its accompanying green card only convert into non-conditional residency once immigration officials satisfy themselves regarding underlying marriage validity. Pay close attention to the 90-day widow beginning 90 days before conditional green cards expire for submitting applications. All requirements must be strictly followed, or unsalvageable immigration consequences will arise.
When Do You Need an E Visa in Illinois?
Immigrating to the United States can be a complicated process full of visa categories and legal requirements. One type of nonimmigrant visa issued by the U.S. government is the E visa, which allows qualified treaty traders and investors to temporarily work and live in the U.S. An Illinois attorney can help you with the visa process.
What is an E Visa?
The E visa has two categories - E-1 for treaty traders and E-2 for treaty investors. The E-1 visa is meant for those engaged in substantial trade between the U.S. and the treaty country, such as international transportation of goods. The E-2 visa is geared towards those who have invested or are actively investing substantial capital in a U.S. business.
To qualify for either visa, you must be a national of a country with a treaty of trade and navigation with the U.S. There are over 90 eligible treaty countries, such as Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the U.K. The company where you work must also have the treaty country's nationality.
Steps to Take if You Are Facing Deportation in Illinois
Being served a Notice to Appear for removal proceedings can be terrifying. However, working quickly alongside an attorney can help you pause or stop deportation. Fighting your case and figuring out all possible defenses takes strategic action. An Illinois lawyer can help you build a solid case to prove why you should stay in the country.
You Need Legal Representation Right Away
Contacting a lawyer right after receiving the notice will give your attorney the lead time to build the most robust case possible. Illinois has a Right to Counsel Act. They will evaluate your situation, identify any grounds to contest removal and handle communications with immigration officials on your behalf.
Gather Relevant Documentation
Work closely with your lawyer to gather documents relevant to your immigration, criminal, and personal history. This includes visas, green cards, birth certificates, marriage licenses, tax records, pay stubs, mortgages, leases, and more. Any evidence that supports your ties to the U.S. will bolster your case. Thorough documentation also helps identify potential defenses.
How to Bring Your Foreign Spouse to Live in Illinois
If you are a U.S. citizen or green card holder living in Illinois who wants to bring your foreign fiancé or spouse to join you, there are specific immigration pathways for doing so. This blog will explain the process for obtaining a fiancé or spousal visa with a DuPage County, IL immigration lawyer, as well as attaining permanent resident status for your spouse once in the United States.
Obtaining a Fiancé Visa
A K-1 fiancé visa allows your foreign fiancé to enter the U.S. for the purpose of getting married to you within 90 days. Here are the steps:
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You must file an I-129F fiancé visa petition with USCIS proving you have a genuine relationship and intend to marry within 90 days of your fiancé’s arrival.
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Once approved, your fiancé can apply for a K-1 visa at the U.S. embassy in their home country. This involves an interview, medical exam, and other screening steps.
Debunking Common Myths About U.S. Immigration
The process of immigrating to the United States usually involves many complex tasks that must be completed in a specific order. A single misstep in this process could lead to delays or even a denial of someone’s visa application. As a result, it is important to understand the details of the process and to seek guidance when an applicant has questions. Otherwise, their hard work could be undone by a misunderstanding of how to apply successfully for favorable immigration status. For example, many applicants struggle unnecessarily in their application processes due to the myths outlined below.
Myth: All/No Visas Are Subject to Quotas
Visa applicants are sometimes under the impression that there are either no restrictions on the number of visas approved annually or that there are quotas in place for every type of visa available. In reality, some visas are subject to quotas and others are not. An experienced attorney can help individual applicants to accurately assess whether the unique visa type that they are seeking is subject to limited availability or not.
An Introduction to USCIS and Its Role in the Immigration Process
Options for immigrating legally to the U.S. are numerous, yet some legal immigration statuses are far easier to secure than others. Additionally, the process of applying for any specific immigration status is complex and can take a very long time
The federal agency that most directly governs legal immigration processes in the U.S. is referred to as the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. It is a division of the Department of Homeland Security and is known as USCIS for short. Foreign nationals who wish to secure a legal immigration status must have their application for this status approved by USCIS. Similarly, those who wish to change an existing status must petition USCIS for approval.
Facilitation and Frustration
As USCIS’s primary role is to facilitate legal immigration processes, the agency does a great deal of work to help ensure that individuals who are seeking legal immigration status for employment, familial, or persecution-based reasons have the opportunity to navigate the various application processes available to them effectively. The agency provides a great deal of free information about various immigration opportunities and requirements on its website and various online immigration tools, for example.
What to Expect During Your Naturalization Interview
When you have spent a long time working towards U.S. citizenship, and you finally receive a date for your naturalization interview, you may be both excited and nervous. It is normal to feel a little apprehensive about this interview. The naturalization interview is a very important step in your journey to citizenship. Knowing what to expect during the interview can help you prepare and feel more confident going in. As there can be a long wait should you need to repeat or reschedule the interview due to missing information or incomplete paperwork, it is very important to make sure that you are well-prepared the first time. An attorney can help you prepare for your interview and work to ensure that you have all the needed documentation.
What Happens During a Naturalization Interview?
A naturalization interview can be stressful, even if you have done everything needed to prepare yourself. A few things to expect during your naturalization interview include:
When Will an Immigrant Need to Remove Conditions From a Green Card?
Obtaining a Green Card is a huge milestone for immigrants to the United States. A Green Card will provide a person with the ability to live and work in the U.S. permanently. However, for some immigrants, the journey does not end after a Green Card is issued. If a person receives a conditional Green Card, they will need to take action to obtain a permanent Green Card before the date that their conditional permanent residence expires. By understanding the procedures that will need to be followed to remove the conditions from a Green Card, immigrants can avoid potential issues and ensure that they will be able to continue living in the United States.
Conditional Green Card Requirements
An immigrant who is married to a U.S. citizen may have received a conditional Green Card if their marriage was less than two years old when they received authorization to enter the United States. Immigrants who come to the U.S. on a fiancé visa and spouses of U.S. citizens who receive a CR-1 visa will receive conditional Green Cards. Investors who received EB-5 visas will also be issued conditional Green Cards. A conditional Green Card will generally be valid for two years, and a person will need to apply to remove the conditions prior to the date that their Green Card expires.
What Are the Options for Family-Based Immigration to the U.S.?
The United States has always been an attractive destination for immigrants who want to share in the American dream. While immigration laws and policies can be complex and confusing, there are many options for family-based immigration to the U.S. In many cases, family members will want to take steps to ensure that they can live near each other, and the United States recognizes this by offering various options for people in other countries to join their loved ones in the U.S. For immigrants who wish to resettle in the United States and family members who plan to sponsor their loved ones for immigration, it is important to understand what types of visas may be available. Options for family-based immigration may include:
Immediate Family Members
Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens have the highest preference when it comes to family-based immigration. These relatives include spouses, unmarried children under the age of 21, and parents (if the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). These individuals will be eligible for Immediate Relative (IR) visas, and they can immigrate to the U.S. without being subjected to numerical limitations, meaning there is no cap on the number of visas available to these immigrants.
Changes to the Asylum Process May Affect Some Immigrants
There are numerous reasons why immigrants may seek to enter the United States. Some of the most urgent immigration cases involve people who have left their home countries due to dangerous conditions, political upheaval, religious persecution, or other issues that have affected their health and safety. These immigrants may be able to apply for asylum. If immigration officials determine that a person has a credible fear of experiencing persecution or suffering other forms of harm, they will be allowed to remain in the U.S.
The asylum process is a complex and often lengthy journey for those seeking refuge in the United States. It involves multiple steps, background checks, applications, interviews, and potential court proceedings. To make matters more complicated, some new rules may soon be put in place that may make some immigrants ineligible for asylum. By understanding these rules and the options for legally entering the U.S., immigrants can make sure they will be able to apply for asylum or receive other forms of relief.
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