U.S. IMMIGRATION & NATIONALITY LAW - PRACTICE AREAS

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U.S. Citizens are eligible to sponsor their Spouse, Parents, Siblings, and Children

Green Card Holders are eligible to sponsor their Spouse and Unmarried Children

Those granted refugee status or asylum in the United States may also be eligible to bring certain family members to join them in the United States. 

Immigrants who are already in the United States may be able to apply for their Green Card without needing to go back to their home country for visa processing.  They may also be able to apply for a Work Permit and Travel Authorization while their Green Card is Processing. 

Those granted refugee status or asylum in the United States are eligible to apply for a Green Card after 1 year. 

Immigrants who are outside of the United States need to apply for their Immigrant Visa (Green Card) at the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their home country.  This requires submitting multiple forms and attending an interview.

Green Card holders may be eligible to apply for U.S. Citizenship after having a Green Card for  5 years.

 If a Green Card holder received their status by marrying a U.S. Citizen, they may be eligible to apply for U.S. Citizenship after      3 years. 

You have the right to have an attorney accompany you if you are required to attend an immigration-related interview in the United States. This includes Green Card interviews, Removal of Green Card Conditions Interviews, and Citizenship interviews.

Non-Citizens with Work Permits and Green Card must keep status valid and must renew their documents in order to maintain and prove their status in the United States. 

Your Renewal applications in some cases can be submitted 6 months before you card expires

If you received a Green Card from marrying a U.S. Citizen spouse your Green Card is only valid for 2 years and is conditional. You must apply to remove the conditions on your Green Card - before it expires in order to keep your status and avoid deportation. 

U.S. Citizens wishing to marry their foreigner fiancée in the United States must apply for a  K-1 visa.  

This visa requires that the couple agree to marry within 90 days of the foreigner-fiancée entering the United States.

After getting married, they can apply for Adjustment of Status. 

You have the right to request the information the U.S. Government has about you, including from agencies such as: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP); and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).  This information can give you insight on any obstacles you may face in your immigration process, including why you are always stopped at the U.S. Border. 

Victims  of certain crimes -- that have suffered from substantial physical or mental abuse -- may be eligible for non-immigrant status (and eventually a Green Card), if they are willing to cooperative with law enforcement. This is also the case for victims of Human Trafficking

Similarly, Victims in certain abusive relationships with a U.S Citizen (or Green Card holder) spouse or relative may be eligible for non-immigrant status (and eventually a green card), without needing to involve law enforcement

All U.S. Employers and Businesses must maintain employment eligibility forms and documents for every employee and worker they employ. Maintaining these documents demonstrate that the employer has verified their employee's immigration status and their eligibility to legally work in the United States.

The U.S. Government has the right to request these documents from employers and business owners and may issue fines up to $20,000 per violation . 

Canadians who work in certain professions and have a valid U.S. job offer may be eligible to get a TN-Visa allowing them to work and live in the United States (along with their dependents) under NAFTA. Similarly, U.S. employers wanting to hire a citizen of Canada for a particular job may be able to do so if the jobs falls under a specific permitted profession. 

The E-2 Visa allows for foreign national entrepreneurs from treaty countries to receive an non-immigrant visa if they make a substantial investment in a business / enterprise