Visas/Marriage/Family

Permission To Come To The United States

Immediate family of United States Citizens are in the highest preference category and have the least amount of waiting time ( U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services - Case Status Service Online ), while Lawful Permanent Residents may take much longer for their family members to be given permission to come to the United States.

A United States Citizen can petition for their immediate family members including spouses to immigrate – however it is important that the proper procedure be followed so as to preserve lawful status at every stage of the process.

Consider the following story:

Sean and Susan meet in Cozumel. He is a US citizen and she is a citizen of Mexico. She comes to visit using a friend’s passport. After a few months they decide to get married. They believe that the marriage to a US citizen will allow for her to remain. They plan a big wedding, inviting family from all over. The wedding takes place seven months after she entered the United States. They file “papers” with the help of a local tax preparer. He does not certify that he prepared the documents and they are not sure exactly what the forms are. However, he is nice, polite and very low priced.

Later, they are shocked to find that not only are the applications not approved, but she can not remain in the US, has become deportable, and if she leaves she cannot return for years.

This situation could have been prevented with planning. There was a solution that would have avoided all these problems. It would take some effort, cost some money, and take some time but consider the result: She would live here legally. In fact it would take much less time and effort and money than the big wedding!

Many Types Of Visas

There are many types of visas. They can be for business, employment, tourism, medical treatment, athletics, study, or investment, just to name a few. The important thing about most visas is that, while they may last for many years in some cases, they are not permanent.

Finding Legal Advice : U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

You may choose to be represented by an attorney or accredited representative when filing applications or petitions with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). But, you should be aware of the following information to help protect yourself from fraudulent activities committed by individuals posing as attorneys or accredited representatives. Finding a Lawyer.

Call (831) 458-1011 To Discuss Retaining Immigration Attorney JP Lavallee