U.S. Government Seeks to Reduce Separation of U.S. Citizens and Family Members

January 9, 2012 By Tom Jr.

The USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) is working to decrease the time delay of family members legally immigrating to join their U.S. citizen family members, in the United States. New regulatory proposals were announced January 6, 2012, by Alejandro Mayorkas, Director, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Family unity is the foundation for many of the U.S. immigration laws. It’s a high priority. Now, the government seeks to reduce the wait time for family reunification, work more efficiently, and to standardize the process.

Mr. Mayorka’s statement explains,

“Currently, children and spouses of U.S. citizens who have accrued a certain period of unlawful presence in the U.S., and have to leave the country in order to become a legal permanent resident of the U.S., are barred from returning to their families for as long as 3 or 10 years. They can receive a waiver to allow them to return to their families before that period by showing that their U.S. citizen family member would face extreme hardship as a result of the separation. But under current procedures, in order to obtain the waiver, these individuals must apply from outside the United States after they have been found inadmissible by a Department of State consular officer. This process can be lengthy and discourages individuals who are currently eligible for this waiver from applying. To address this problem, the USCIS proposal would allow eligible immediate relatives of U.S. citizens to apply for and receive “provisional waivers” of unlawful presence before they leave the United States for consular processing of their immigrant visa applications, significantly reducing the time U.S. citizens are separated from their spouses, or children.”

Reunification Benefits Our Society

It is recognized that a separation of 3 to 10 years can cause a significant breakdown in the family and family support systems. It benefits the U.S. government and society, in general, if families are kept together. Families provide emotional and financial support that the government and taxpayers would otherwise bear the brunt of.

Where to Get Help Bringing Your Family Members to the United States

More details on the new immigration regulations will be published, likely this spring, in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking. Public comments will be welcome. If you need help, we focus our practice on immigration law and bringing children and spouses of American citizens to the U.S.

Your next step is to contact our office: 513-791-1673, the form below or Thomasjr@geygan.com. We will guide you and your loved ones through the immigration process and help you to reunify your family in the United States.

Filed Under: Deportation & Removal, Family based Immigration, Family Visas, Green Card, Immigration, Waiver

Bringing a Family Member to the United States, to Stay

November 16, 2011 By Tom Jr.

Under section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), there is a minimum number of annual family-sponsored visas (226,000 family member visas.) You can bring a family member to the United States; and, when your family member attains a Green Card, he or she has many rights. Your loved one can enter, re-enter after a relatively brief absence, work, study, and travel in the United States.

We commonly help people bring fiancés/ fiancées, spouses, children, children of spouses, parents, and siblings to the United States by filing a K visa and by filing form I-130 and waiting for its determination. A K-1 visa is appropriate for fiancés/ fiancées; a K-3 visa is appropriate for a spouse; a K-4 visa is appropriate for the children of spouses. For siblings and parents, the form I-130 is appropriate.

The processes for bringing fiancé/ fiancée to the United States on a K-1 visa are similar to bringing a spouse, spouse’s children, or your children to the United States. You must:

· Be a United States citizen
· Meet or exceed certain income criteria (125% of the national poverty level.)
· Prove that your fiancé/ fiancée must have not violated any immigration or criminal laws.
· File the K-1 visa petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS.)
· If approved, your fiancé/ fiancée will be permitted to enter the United States for a period of 90 days. During which time, you must get married.

After the marriage you then:

· File for lawful permanent residency (i.e. Green Card) for your spouse.
· The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will investigate to determine whether you have a true marriage, other than for immigration purposes.

Where to Get Help Bringing a Family Member to the United States, to Stay

Want to bring your family member to the United States? We can guide you through the maze of immigration matters and procedures, selecting the best path for your immigration and your family’s. For more information on K-1 visas please click here. For other family members, if you are a lawful permanent resident (have a green card) click here; or if you are a United States citizen please click here.

Immigration is a very specialized area of law; so, be sure your attorney focuses his practice on immigration and protecting your legal rights. We focus our practice on immigration law and help people just like you every day; you can reach us at 513-793-6555 or Thomasjr@geygan.com.

We will gently walk you through the immigration process and aggressively fight for your legal rights. Call Geygan & Geygan today: 513-793-6555. Your next step is to contact us.

Filed Under: Family based Immigration, Family Visas, Green Card, Immigration

Want to Come to the United States? Here’s How to do it.

September 20, 2011 By Tom Jr.

Many people would like to come to the United States and wonder how to do it. A qualified immigration attorney will counsel you through this process; help you to determine the foundation for your visit and the best strategy for meeting your goal, coming to the U.S.

First, you need to think about why you want to enter the U.S. Do you want to visit Niagara Falls or Yellowstone National Park? Do you want to study at Ohio State or Harvard? Do you want to live with your parents or spouse? Do you want to visit Aunt Penelope or Uncle Jose? Do you want to participate in the New York ballet or opera? Do you want to work for Microsoft or Apple?

Second, when you think about why you want to come to the U.S., you’ll know whether you need an immigration visa or a non-immigration visa. Immigrant visas are permanent; whereas, non-immigrant visas are temporary, meaning that you can enter for the the particular purpose stated, but you then must leave when your purpose has been accomplished or within a specific time period.

Third, match your reason for coming to the U.S. with either the immigration or non-immigration path; fill out and file the required forms with appropriate documentation; and, wait.

For example,

A K-3 visa is a non-immigrant visa for a spouse.
A K-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa for a fiancé(e).

An EB-5 visa allows those who invest significantly in the U.S. and create jobs to enter the U.S. This is an immigrant visa.

An H-1B visa is a temporary work visa; it is a non-immigrant visa.

The B-1 visa is for athletes, both amateur and professional to compete for prize money. It’s non-immigrant visa. Business visitors also use a B-1 visa.

File for a B-2 visa if you want to visit family in Columbus, receive medical care in Cleveland; or, visit Football Hall of Fame in Canton or the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

An R visa is appropriate for religious workers; a professor, teacher, or scholar uses a J visa; and, the media and journalists use an I visa.

Where to Get Help Obtaining a Visa

Our immigration attorneys at Geygan and Geygan, Ltd. have helped many people just like you to obtain and renew visas. We focus our practice on immigration law; we will gently walk you through the visa process. Your next step is to contact our office, and you can reach us at 513-793-6555 or Thomasjr@geygan.com.

Filed Under: Employment, Employment Visas, Family based Immigration, Family Visas, Green Card, Green Card, Green Card, Immigration, Investor Visas, Treaty Investors

Immigration Laws are So Confusing

August 25, 2011 By Tom Jr.

Immigration Laws are So Confusing

If you’ve ever thought, “Immigration Laws are sooooo confusing,” you’re not alone – and you’re right. Immigration law is very detail oriented, with lots of rules and procedures, which change continuously. That’s why we focus our practice on immigration law and don’t try to be experts in all legal fields.

How We Can Help You and Your Family with Immigration Matters

First off, it’s important that you don’t feel alone and that you know you’re in good hands. So, we explain how immigration procedures work and, specifically, how we will help you. For instance, you may need representation in immigration court, help bringing a family member to live with you in the United States, or legal assistance to avoid removal proceedings and deportation.

Secondly, we answer all of your questions and address your concerns. We explain what to expect, and how your specific immigration issue will be handled. You will never be surprised. We’ve found that these conversations help our clients to feel increased peace of mind and to sleep better at night.

Third, we guide you through all immigration matters step by step. You are never alone, even if you need to go to court, have an immigration interview, or file applications with supporting documentation.

Full Disclosure is Required; Confidentiality is Guaranteed

While we, as your immigration lawyers, do all the things mentioned immediately above, you must be active in your immigration case as well. Basically, this means that you must be completely honest, and disclose all information even if you think it may be harmful to your case. We can only help you if we know everything. Just like a medical doctor can only diagnosis and treat a problem if you disclose all of your symptoms, we, as you immigration attorneys, can only understand your immigration issues and determine what legal path to pursue if we have all the facts. Once we establish the attorney-client relationship, anything you disclose to us will be held in the strictest of confidences, as required by law.

Where to Get Help with Immigration Issues

We focus our practice on immigration law and help people just like you every day. We will listen to your concerns and answer your questions; you are not alone.

Your next step is to contact our office: 513-791-1673 or Thomasjr@geygan.com. We will gently walk you through your immigration issues, even representing you in court and before the Department of State.

Filed Under: Adoption, Asylum, Citizenship, Deportation & Removal, Employment, Employment Visas, Family based Immigration, Family Member, Family Visas, Green Card, Green Card, Green Card, Immigration, Immigration Court, Investor Visas, Naturalization, Reform/New Laws, Treaty Investors, Waiver

"LPR" or "Green Card"

August 12, 2011 By Tom Jr.

“LPR” or “Green Card”

“LPR” stands for “lawful permanent resident.” If you’re like most people, you’ve heard the term, “green card,” but aren’t sure what it actually means. A green card is a colloquial term for the legal document that proves that the holder is a lawful permanent resident and has a legal right to live and work in the United States. It’s also called the “United States Permanent Resident Card” (formerly, “Alien Registration Receipt Card.”) But with a name like that, it is easy to understand why the term “green card” is so widely used.

It may not surprise you that green cards are green. However, they have been green; then pink, then cream and, now again, green. They are small laminated cards with the permanent resident’s photograph and fingerprints.

What are the benefits of a green card?

The green card benefits are significant. The green card indicates that the holder is a “lawful permanent resident,” having the right to live and work in the United States. The holder also has the right to be protected under the laws of the federal government as well as his or her state and locale of residence.

The green card also serves as a reentry document, meaning that the holder has the right to reenter the United States after a short absence, without providing additional documentation.

It is significant to note that a lawful permanent resident or green card holder is not a U.S. citizen. And, thereby, does not have all the rights associated with citizenship such as voting in national elections.

Does the green card expire?

The green card is permanent, although it must be renewed every 10 years (like a driver’s license needs to be renewed.) However, there are two limitations: First, the holder’s U.S. residence must remain his or her primary residence. Second, conviction of certain crimes will nullify lawful permanent residence status.

How to get a green card

Remember the romantic comedy (1990) feature film, “Green Card?” A young American woman enters into a marriage of convenience so that a Frenchman can attain his green card. Having a family member or fiancé petition for a green card is just one way to become a permanent resident.

The most common ways to get a green card are through:

a family member
a job (typically, a high level professional position)
political asylum or as a refugee

If already in the U.S., a green card applicant goes through a process called “Adjustment of Status” to obtain a green card. If living outside the U.S., the applicant must go through a process called “Consular Processing,” applying at a U.S. embassy or consular outside the U.S.

Who makes these green card rules?

Although most people have heard of “INS” and seen references to it on television, the INS was dissolved in 2003. All immigration matters are under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS.) The USCIS is an agency under the Department of Homeland Security.

Where to Get Help Becoming LPR or Obtaining a Green Card

If you have questions regarding obtaining a green card and becoming a lawful permanent resident, consult with a qualified immigration attorney. Immigration is a very specialized area of law; be sure your attorney focuses his or her practice on immigration and getting green cards.

We focus our practice on immigration law, LPR status, and green cards; and, you can reach us at 513-793-6555 or Thomasjr@geygan.com. We will gently walk you through the immigration process, represent you in court, and aggressively fight for your legal rights. We look forward to hearing from you.