Chicago Green Card Lawyers | Obtaining Your Permanent Resident Card
United States Permanent Resident Card, also known as the Green Card is a legal document that proves your legal status in the United States of America as a permanent resident. Green Card is the next best thin to actually holding a U.S. citizenship and is the last step before obtaining one.
Green card lawyers in Chicago can help you with filing documents required to obtain the permanent resident status.
GREENCARDS THROUGH FAMILY-BASED IMMIGRATION
United States Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents may be able to sponsor certain relatives for greencards. US citizens may sponsor their parents, spouse, sons or daughters, or siblings. Legal Permanent Residence may sponsor their spouses or unmarried sons or daughters. In some circumstances, a petitioner may file their family based immigration petition for their beneficiary simultaneously with an Application to Adjust Status. There are several important steps involved and the process can be tedious and confusing. Therefore, it is important that you have an experienced attorney ensure that the all the appropriate forms with supporting documents are properly filed with the Department of Homeland Security. Our attorneys can assist you in making sure all necessary steps are followed in order to avoid unnecessary delays. If you have a family member that you would like to bring to the United States, or one that is already here who you would like to sponsor for a greencard, contact our Immigration Lawyers to set up an appointment for an immigration consultation.
GREENCARDS THROUGH EMPLOYMENT BASED IMMIGRATION
Employers wishing to sponsor foreign nationals for a greencard to live and work in the United States must file a Petition for Alien Worker along with an Application to Adjust Status. Prior to filing this petition, you must have an approved labor certification, which certifies that there are no workers willing, able, qualified and available to work at the time and place the where the alien is to be employed, and that employment of the alien will not affect the wages and working conditions of similarly employed US workers. This process can be extremely lengthy and complicated. That’s why it is critical that all requirements and recruitment measures are properly complied with. Contact one of our attorneys at Chicago Immigraion Lawyer for an immigration consultation to discuss your matter.
ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS (AOS)
If you have an approved family based or employment based immigration petition, you are eligible to adjust your status in order to obtain lawful permanent residency without having to leave the United States. There are several other categories which may allow one to adjust status. In some cases, your application to adjust status may be filed simultaneous with your immigration petition, which can speed up the process and, in certain circumstances, even allow you to legally work while the petition is pending. It is important, however, that the application is properly filed, and that all supporting documents are provided to the USCIS. Some supporting documents include an Affidavit of Support, which requires that the sponsor or meet certain income requirements. Ensure that your application is properly prepared and filed by contacting an experienced attorney at Chicago Immigration Lawyers for your consultation.
K-1 FIANCE VISAS
In order to legally enter the United States, you must have a valid Visa. A United States Citizen may apply for a fiancé visa, which will allow their fiancé to travel to the US and remain here for a limited period of time. The parties have 90 days from the date of entry into the US to be legally married. Extensions are not permitted under this type of visa. After 90 days, if you and your fiancé are not legally married, your fiancé must return to his/her home country. If you and your fiancé decide not to get married, this will not prevent you from being able to bring in a future fiancé under a K-1 Visa. There are many things that could go wrong when trying to obtain a fiancé visa, such as missing documents, incorrect paperwork, fiance’s criminal record, significant age difference between yourself and your fiancé, and much more. It is important to retain an attorney who can adequately represent you and handle potential issues that may arise during the process. Contact our Immigration Lawyers to set up an appointment for an immigration consultation.
EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION APPLICATION (WORK PERMIT)
All US employers are required to verify that their employees are legally authorized to work in the United Stated. If you are a US Citizen or legal permanent resident (holder of a valid greencard), you do not need to apply for work authorization. However, if you are a temporary alien and fall under certain categories, such as asylees or asylum seekers, refugees, foreign students seeing specific types of employment, applicants for adjustments of status, or fiance’s of US Citizens, then you may be eligible to apply for a Work Permit. Contact one of our experienced attorneys for an evaluation of your case.
ADVANCE PAROLE (TRAVEL DOCUMENTS)
If you are an alien with a pending application for immigration benefits or there are changes in your immigration status, you will need to apply for Advance Parole to travel outside of the United States and return. For example, if an alien has a pending application for Adjustment of Status and leaves the United States, he or she will be considered to have abandoned their application if they do not apply for advance parole prior to leaving, and will be unable to re-enter the United States. Contact us for your consultation and to prepare for your temporary departure from the United States.
RE-ENTRY PERMIT
If a legal permanent resident (holder of a valid greencard) wishes to leave the United States he or she can do so without applying for a re-entry permit, so long as their stay abroad is for a period of less than 1 year. If, however, a greencard holder wishes to remain outside of the US for a period exceeding one year but less than 2 years, he or she must apply for a re-entry permit. Failure to do so may severely affect your legal permanent residency status, as the USCIS may determine that the individual has abandoned his or her status. There are limited circumstances in which the greencard holder may be able to overcome this presumption and file for a renewal of his or her greencard. Contact one of our experienced attorneys for an evaluation of your case.
