Fairfax Green Card Lawyer
Receiving a Green Card is the culmination of many peoples’ dreams to live and work in the United States. For some applicants, this involves waiting in their home countries for an application to reach completion. For others, they may request a change in their lawful status if they are already lawfully in the United States.
There are dozens of ways that non-citizens can apply for Green Cards. However, the most common methods involve sponsorship through a family member, as a part of one’s employment, or as a refugee seeking asylum status.
A Fairfax Green Card lawyer could help you with this process. A trustworthy immigration attorney could work with non-citizens and people who are looking to come to the United States to evaluate their eligibility under the various Green Card programs and to take the necessary steps with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
What Lawful Rights Does a Green Card Confer on People?
A Green Card gives a holder the right to live and work in the United States. Also known as achieving lawful permanent resident status, holders of Green Cards do not need to fear removal (deportation) on the basis of unlawful presence and can work for any company in the United States as a citizen will do.
Green Cards come in two forms. The most common form is the 10-year Green Card that grants lawful permanent resident status for a period of ten years. These people must be sure to apply for a renewal if that card is set to expire in the next six months. Other Green Cards last for only two years. These people are referred to as conditional residents and they must file a petition to remove this temporary status no less than 90 days before the card expires.
No matter which version of a Green Card that a person possesses, they must be sure to carry that card on their person at all times. Police officers in certain jurisdictions and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials can ask to see this card at any time, any a person caught without that card can face detention until identity and status are established. A Fairfax attorney could help people to understand the benefits of obtaining a Green Card.
Helping Individuals to Obtain a Green Card in Fairfax
Obtaining a Green Card involves a lengthy and precise legal process. First, a person must determine under which of the qualifying paths provided by the USCIS they can qualify.
Most people pursue a Green Card through one of these options. The first is obtaining sponsorship through a family member. Many immediate relatives of U.S. citizens can apply for a Green Card immediately. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are the spouse, a child under the age of 21, or the parent of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21 years of age. Similarly, the family-based preference categories can also allow married and unmarried sons and daughters of of U.S. citizens and siblings of U.S. citizens to apply. Spouses, minor children under 21, and unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents also fall into the family-based preference categories.
Employment is another major category under which an immigrant may apply for a Green Card. Immigrant workers who have specialized abilities, extraordinary abilities, or are multinational executives may be able to obtain a Green Card due to their ability to contribute to the U.S. economy.
Finally, people may be able to obtain a Green Card if they have lived in the United States for at least one year with asylum status. An attorney could help people determine their eligibility to obtain a Green Card, and if they are already in the United States, to complete Form I-485 to initiate the process.
Reach out to a Fairfax Green Card Attorney For Help
Obtaining the right to lawfully live and work in the United States is a goal for people all around the world and for many already in the country. However, only certain people are eligible to apply for a Green Card, and an application for a non-eligible person may result in immediate removal (deportation) proceedings.
A Fairfax Green Card lawyer may be able to help you or a family member to obtain a Green Card. They can work to determine your eligibility, most often as the result of having a relative with U.S. citizenship, as a product of your employment, or as a refugee. They can also help to gather the necessary evidence and documentation needed to complete the required paperwork. Finally, they can help to submit a complete application and stand by your side to push the application through the USCIS processes. To get started on a case, be sure to schedule a consultation today.