Can you apply for a green card this month? Check the May Visa Bulletin!
Have you been “waiting in line” for a green card to become available in your preference category? You can check the U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin for May 2019 to see if your priority date is current this month.
USCIS has determined that in May, the Dates for Filing Chart must be used for family-sponsored green cards, and the Final Action Dates Chart used for employer-sponsored green cards.
To view the full Bulletin, please visit:
Need help interpreting the Bulletin and preparing and filing your green card application?
Contact us at theteam@huwelaw.com or 415-496-9040 today.
Military Parole-in-Place as a Path to a Green Card: What You Need to Know
Do you meet the following criteria? (1) You are an immigrant who entered the U.S. without a visa, (2) you are the spouse, parent, or child under 21 of a U.S. citizen, and (3) you have a close relative who is a member or former member of the U.S. Military? If so, you may be eligible for a green card via a special immigration benefit called “Parole-in-Place.”
In general, a “lawful admission” to the U.S. is required for the spouse, child, or parent of a U.S. citizen to be eligible for a green card. Parole-in-Place is a program that was created in year 2013 to help certain immigrants who do not have a “lawful admission” to obtain one without leaving the country.
What are the eligibility requirements for Parole-in-Place?
• You are physically present in the United States, but were not lawfully admitted
• You are the spouse, parent, or son or daughter (of any age) of an active duty member of the U.S. Armed, the Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve, or former member of the U.S. Armed Forces or Selected Reserve of the Ready Reserve (including individuals who served in the military but are now deceased)
• You have no prior criminal convictions or other serious adverse factors
Even if you are eligible for Parole-in-Place, you must have a U.S. citizen spouse, parent, or child over the age of 21 who can serve as your sponsor for a green card.
If you believe you may be eligible for this amazing benefit, please contact us at theteam@huwelaw.com, or 415-496-9040 to learn more.
From TPS to a Green Card: One Man’s Journey
As an immigration lawyer in today’s changing world, I am frequently approached by prospective clients whose Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has been scheduled to terminate. They are often scared and bewildered, wondering what, if any, option they have?
As an immigration lawyer in today’s changing world, I am frequently approached by prospective clients whose Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has been scheduled to terminate. They are often scared and bewildered, wondering what, if any, option they have?
Luckily, with some legal maneuvering it is often possible for someone in this situation to obtain a green card sponsored by an immediate relative. Below is our client Jose’s story.
Jose arrived in the U.S. in year 2001 from El Salvador. He crossed the border without a visa, fleeing a brutal civil war that was raging there at the time. He entered the U.S. frightened and with little money, hoping to start a new life here.
Our government granted Jose Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, due to the unsafe conditions in El Salvador. As the years passed and those conditions continued, Jose was allowed to renew his grant of TPS every 18 months. He resided and worked in the U.S. as an upstanding member of society for nearly a decade. The U.S. had become his home.
In year 2010, Jose met Clara, a U.S. citizen by birth. He and Clara started dating, fell in love, and decided to get married in year 2012. Jose’s immigration status remained that of TPS. Because Jose had entered the country illegally, he believed that he was not eligible for a green card through Clara.
Years later, our government announced that they would be terminating TPS for El Salvador. Jose suffered anxiety every day, not knowing how he would be able to remain in the U.S. with his life partner Clara. Then Jose met me.
I explained to Jose that he did have options. And one of those options was to obtain a lawful entry to the U.S. by applying for permission to travel outside of the country and reenter under TPS. While the timing would be tight because we knew at that point that Jose’s TPS would be terminated in less than a year, I reassured him that this was doable. Once Jose obtained the lawful entry, Clara would be able to sponsor him for his green card. Once we submitted the green card application, he would have permission to remain in the U.S. while it was pending.
Jose got his permission to travel and left and reentered the U.S., we applied for his green card, and he is now a permanent resident of the United States. He no longer fears deportation and separation from his wife of 7 years.
Jose’s story is not unique. Our immigration laws and policies are complex, and too many immigrants do not know their options. We offer a thorough initial legal evaluation to review your history in detail, explain all possible paths, and create a plan moving forward. Contact us today to learn more: 415-496-9040 or theteam@huwelaw.com.
Why Legal Immigration to the U.S. Has Decreased, and How it Affects You
Legal immigration to the U.S. was significantly down in 2018:
In 2018, approvals of all types of visas and green cards were down. For example, approvals of green cards for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (such as spouses) were down 7%, and fiance visa approvals were down a whopping 29%.
Legal immigration to the U.S. was significantly down in 2018:
https://www.npr.org/2019/03/10/701987091/why-u-s-visa-numbers-are-down
In 2018, approvals of all types of visas and green cards were down. For example, approvals of green cards for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (such as spouses) were down 7%, and fiance visa approvals were down a whopping 29%.
Why is this occurring?
A wide range of incremental changes inside our government bureaucracy are primarily to blame. These changes are often unknown to, or misunderstood by, the public. They are not changes to the law and do not always require a formal legal procedure.
How does the decrease in legal immigration affect you as a prospective immigrant?
-It is more challenging to get any visa or green card application approved
-Green card applications are being denied due to minor errors, without the government providing an opportunity to correct the issues
-It is more likely that someone currently or previously in F-1 student visa or J-1 exchange visitor visa status will be prohibited from obtaining a green card due to a previous minor (and often unknown to the immigrant) noncompliance issue
-If a visa or green card application is denied, there is a greater risk of being placed into deportation proceedings.
How can we help?
We keep current on government policy changes. We know which questions to ask you, what documentation to provide to the government, and what to expect moving forward.
Contact us today at TheTeam@huwelaw.com or 415-413-8760 for help with your employment visa or family-based green card. We are here to help!
Apply for citizenship online and pay your fee by credit card
Did you know that a naturalization (citizenship) application can now be submitted online?
USCIS has made it possible for a citizenship application, including all supporting documents, to be submitted online. We like this relatively new option because it makes it possible for your citizenship application to be processed a bit more quickly, and monitored through the USCIS website.
Did you know that a naturalization (citizenship) application can now be submitted online?
USCIS has made it possible for a citizenship application, including all supporting documents, to be submitted online. We like this relatively new option because it makes it possible for your citizenship application to be processed a bit more quickly, and monitored through the USCIS website.
https://www.uscis.gov/n-400
Not only that, but the application fee can now be paid by credit card. This is true for citizenship applications, as well as many others, including applications for permanent residency (a “green card”) as well as permission to work and travel abroad. Learn more at:
https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-expands-credit-card-payment-option-fees
For help with your citizenship or green card application, please contact us at theteam@huwelaw.com, or 415-496-9040.
