CONTACT USCommon reasons why a family-based application for permanent residence may be denied by USCIS
Each year the U.S. government allows thousands of people to enter the United States with permanent resident status. Permanent residence is symbolized with a card, most commonly referred to as a green card. But the government also denies thousands of green card applications. There are several possible factors for a green card application denial. The reasons vary from no basis for eligibility to grounds of inadmissibility to failure to properly deal with the application requirements.
Each year U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) denies an estimated 8-10% of green card applications. In fiscal year 2016, data shows that USCIS received a total of 869,292 petitions for alien relatives (Form I-130), but also denied 59,496.
During the same period, USCIS received 338,013 family-based applications to adjust status (Form I-485) and denied 31,662 applications. Family-based applications for a green card are based on a family relationship with a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. Continue reading
The K3 visa process was designed to help shorten the physical separation between a foreign citizen and his or her U.S. citizen spouse. It’s the perfect solution for many couples that want to move to the United States together without an extended separation associated with the immigration process. In practice, the K3 visa process is rarely used. While it remains a component of immigration law, most couples have a tough time obtaining one.
Getting a green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen is one of the fastest ways to obtain permanent residence (and citizenship) in the United States. But it can also create significant immigration problems for couples that don’t understand the U.S. immigration system.
Divorce can be a devastating life event. It’s emotionally exhausting, financially costly and can even affect one’s immigration status in the United States. A divorce after green card may introduce new challenges to a permanent resident. But in other cases, it’s not an issue.
To help a parent get a green card, the eligibility requirements are rather simple. You must be a U.S. citizen and at least 21 years old. Although it gets a bit more complicated, this privilege extends to eligible step parents and adoptive parents.
The green card marriage process is best known for the first 90 days. In fact, a realty-TV series called 
Even many immigration lawyers consider Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, to be one of the most confusing immigration forms. It’s a little like combining the financials of a tax return with the complexity of an immigration form. In fact, that’s basically what it is. The stakes are high. If the sponsor does not qualify, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will not issue the intending immigrant permanent residence (green card).
The requirements for petitioning a foreign spouse for permanent residence (green card) are more exhaustive than any other relationship. When filing