by Immigration can be an incredibly frustrating and lengthy process. Every year, there is a quota on how many visas can be issued from any single country, and some are on hold for decades. Families and individuals sometimes endure tremendous difficulty while waiting to hear if their applicant has been accepted.
If you intend to live and work permanently in the United States, you should be on an immigrant visa. In most cases, a relative or employer will sponsor you by filing an application with US Citizenship and Immigration Services.
While a visa will allow you to temporarily stay in the United States, you must apply for citizenship if you wish to stay beyond the allotted time. In order to legally immigrate to the US, you must have a green card before you can apply for citizenship.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services states that in order to become a citizen after birth, you must “apply for ‘derived’ or ‘acquired’ citizenship through parent or apply for naturalization.“
We’ve compiled a list of resources for migrants:
- FindLaw offers their top ten immigration tips.
- Travel.State.Gov outlines the immigrant visa process.
- USCIS lists green card eligibility categories and requirements
- usa.gov outlines the green card process.
- USCIS offers study materials for the naturalization test, which you are required to pass if you are applying for naturalized citizenship. The website states “if you fail any of the tests at your initial interview, you will be retested on the portion of the test that you failed (English or civics) between 60 and 90 days from the date of your initial interview.”
- InternationalCitizens.com offers advice for immigrating to the US as an expat.
- GlobalCitizen.org describes the 7 biggest challenges for migrants and refugees.
- BCC Learning English offers free online learning resources, if english is not your first language. This is vital to securing job opportunities, as english is the primary spoken and written language of the US. This is incredibly important as you transition to your life into a new country.
It is important that your application is handled with proper care and due diligence from start to finish. It is best to remain stay patient and calm throughout the process. Be prepared for unexpected delays and notices. Ensure that you show up to every meeting and appointment on time.
You may feel very emotionally exhausted through out the process. Media outlets are constantly reporting breaking news about the US immigration system. You may find hearing this news on a daily basis to be very stressful. Therefore, it is best to work with a neutral and informed party. A dedicated expert can work closely with you to avoid common mistakes that can result in being denied. You can expect the process to be time intensive and to require a large amount of paperwork and documentation. An immigration lawyer can be your guide to filling out your profile accurately while answering your questions along the way.
If you are seeking legal representation, we recommend K Nair Law Group, based in Orange County. The firm was recognized as an ASLA 2017 Top 100 Lawyer. They have been operating since 2010 and specialize in helping non-citizens and migrants with green-cards.
K Nair Law Group
31897 Del Obispo St
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
