CONTACT US
TN visa status allows Canadian or Mexican professionals within a certain set of occupations to work in the United States. It’s a nonimmigrant status that can be continually renewed. Because many TN professionals live and work in the United States for many years, they often end up meeting a future spouse in the United States. Once married to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident spouse, TN professionals may generally apply for permanent residence (green card). Although TN visa holders may adjust status to permanent resident, there are some special considerations that should be reviewed before applying. Continue reading
How to Help a Parent Get a Green Card
To help a parent get a green card, the eligibility requirements are generally very simple. As the son or daughter who wants to petition a parent, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 21 years old. Although it gets a bit more complicated, this privilege also extends to certain step and adopted sons and daughters.
What’s more, immigration law defines parents of U.S. citizens as immediate relatives. Therefore, parents get priority as compared to other preference-based family relationships. There is no numerical limit on immigrant visas for immediate relatives. In other words, there isn’t the long wait associated with other categories when you help your mother or father obtain permanent residence in the United States. The process begins by filing a visa petition for your mother or father. Continue reading
3 Things You Need To Know About Taxes Before Moving To The U.S.
Whether you are a temporary nonresident alien in the United States or you’re planning to move to the U.S. permanently, there are actions you can take to get your tax affairs in order. It’s important to know your tax resident status and what specific tax obligations some with your situation.
Planning your finances before you become liable for U.S. taxes or find the U.S. trying to tax your worldwide income can save you a significant amount of money. Continue reading
Common Reasons Form I-751 Gets Denied
Foreign spouses who recently married U.S. citizens generally enter the United States as conditional residents. The conditional status lasts for a period of two years. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) uses the conditional status like a probation period. Before the end of the conditional period, the couple must file Form I-751, Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence and prove a bona fide marriage. Getting an I-751 approved is essential for the conditional resident to remain in the United States and obtain the permanent 10-year green card. Getting an I-751 denied can result in the foreign spouse being removed from the U.S.
If your Form I-751 is denied, USCIS will send you a letter explaining the reason for the decision. That letter will also include a Notice to Appear (NTA) in immigration court for removal proceedings. Continue reading
Green Card through Marriage to a U.S. Citizen
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.
Permanent residence is not automatic after marriage. There is an application process that must be followed. Although a green card through marriage to a U.S. citizen is one of the quickest ways to immigrate, there are several steps that include application forms, a medical examination, fingerprinting, and various approvals. For certain people, applying for a green card through marriage can create significant, long-term immigration problems. Continue reading
Divorce After Green Card
How Divorce Can Affect Your Immigration Status
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.
Before you file another application or petition with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), take the time to understand how your divorce or annulment may affect your situation. Continue reading
Marriage to a U.S. Citizen After a Visa Overstay
The questions vary from, “Can I stay in the U.S. after a visa overstay and marriage to a U.S. citizen?” to “What happens if my visa expires and I’m married?” These questions are concerned with obtaining a legal status in the United States despite a period of unlawful presence.
Spouses of U.S. citizens do have special immigration privileges. They benefit from certain provisions in the law that are favorable in cases where the intending immigrant has overstayed a visa. But it’s important Continue reading
How to Apply for a Family-Based Green Card
United States immigration laws provide a variety of ways to apply for a green card (permanent resident status). The different paths come through family relationships, employment, refugee/asylum status, diversity lottery, and several special immigrant classes .
However, the vast majority of immigrants apply for a green card through a family relationship. For example, 66% of the 1.1 million people who obtained a green card in 2017 were in a family-based category according to USCIS statistics. Continue reading
Travel Abroad Affects N-400 Citizenship Eligibility
When applying for U.S. citizenship via naturalization, English and civics tests get much of the attention. But permanent residents often do not understand how travel abroad can affect their eligibility for naturalization.
Two related but separate requirements, continuous residence and physical presence, must be satisfied for one to be eligible to file Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. Excessive travel abroad can adversely affect eligibility. Excessive travel can include one long trip or the accumulation of several trips over the period that precedes your admission as a U.S. citizen. Continue reading
K-1 Visa Interview Checklist
How to Prepare and What to Take to the K-1 Visa Interview
Although the K-1 visa is a nonimmigrant visa, the interview and requirements are slightly different that typical nonimmigrant visas. A K-1 fiancé visa permits the holder to permanently immigrate to the U.S. Therefore, the fiancé must meet some of the requirements of an immigrant visa. Our K-1 visa interview checklist will help you prepare for this important day.
Use CitizenPath to prepare the Fiancé Visa Petition Package. Our software will help you prepare Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé, and instruct you on the supporting documents to submit with it. While you await approval, Continue reading