Category: Green Cards

If you have a pending Adjustment of Status (Form I-485), your lawyer has likely cautioned you (repeatedly) that traveling abroad before your Advance Parole document is issued may result in the denial of your I-485. These cautions should be taken seriously and any traveling during Adjustment of Status should be carefully considered prior to leaving the […]

The U.S. Department of State announced the 2015 winners of the Diversity Visa Lottery Program on May 1, 2014. More than 100,000 hopeful U.S. immigrants were selected to have the chance to obtain a green card. However, the title “winner” may not be so fitting here. Those selected for the Diversity Visa Program may be […]

One way for foreign medical graduates (FMGs) to ensure their legal stay in the United States is through obtaining permanent residence, also known as a green card. There are several different types of these petitions. They are EB-1 Extraordinary Ability, EB-2 Labor Certification Application and EB-2 National Interest Waiver. EB-1 Extraordinary Ability A foreign medical […]

In 2007, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) presented a proposal to eliminate hundreds of thousands of green cards issued years ago without expiration dates. Although the proposal was never implemented into law, the last seven years have seen a concerted push for immigration officers to strongly advise travelers to renew green cards without expiration […]

In most cases, in order to get a green card, you must have a sponsor. This sponsor can be a spouse, a parent, a child, or even an employer. In this blog we will be discussing one of the most important aspects of a spousal sponsorship, which is proving a marriage is bona fide. What […]

With the holidays right around the corner, we especially love to see the many heartwarming stories of military personnel reunited with their families. According to the U.S. Government there are over 1,455,375 active personnel in the US military today. Of that, about 114,601 are foreign-born nationals, making up almost 8% of the United States military. […]

If you are a lawful permanent resident (LPR or green card holder) who spends over 183 days abroad, this article is for you!  You should take steps to protect your green card status. What is a reentry permit? A reentry permit is a travel document that a LPR shows when they enter the U.S.  It […]

Beginning on September 3, 2013 the Department of State (DOS) will transition to an online Immigrant Visa application instead of filing the paper forms.  The Immigrant Visa application is the process by which a foreign national obtains his or her green card while outside the U.S.  The immigrant visa applicant will submit Form DS-260 (Application […]

Beginning August 1, 2013, immigrant visa availability for F-2A category of family based petitions will be “current.”  This means that visas for spouses and minor children of green card holders will be available immediately.  Historically, sponsors who are U.S. green card holders have waited years to be able to bring qualifying family members to the […]

Paraphrased from AILA LGBT Working Group July 15, 2013 The deadline for submitting an Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (I-485) for winners of the 2013 Diversity Visa (DV) lottery is fast approaching; an adjustment of status application must be approved or immigrant visa issued by September 30, 2013. With the decision of […]