Individuals who acquire lawful permanent residence through marriage are often concerned about their foreign-born children residing abroad. One common misconception is that someone who has a conditional green card must first obtain a permanent green card before filing...
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Green Card Renewal Denied | Options and Consequences
For a lawful permanent resident, denial of a green card renewal application can be extremely stressful. Depending on the nature of the denial, there can be severe consequences, both direct and collateral, ranging from bearing an expired identity document to being...
Applicants Are Responsible For False Information In Immigration Forms
The Board of Immigration Appeals recently issued a sobering decision that underscores the importance of understanding your own immigration case and knowing what you are filing. In Matter of Valdez, 27 I&N Dec. 496 (BIA 2018), the Board discounted the appellant's...
New Policy for I-751 Green Card Interviews
USCIS has issued a new policy memorandum that provides guidance to USCIS officers on waiving interviews for I-751 cases. Under the Immigration and Marriage Fraud Amendments of 1986, immigrants who have been married for less than two years to their petitioning spouse...
New Immigration Policy Poses Deportation Risk For Green Card Applicants
During the July 4th break, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a very important policy change that drastically departs from previous agency guidance issued in 2011. Memo 602-0050.1 is titled "Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of...
How To File For Your Brother’s or Sister’s Visa or Green Card | Latest Developments
Over the last few months, the Trump Administration has vociferously touted its plan to reform the immigration system by truncating "chain migration." Put simply, adult children, brothers, sisters, and parents would no longer be eligible through a family relationship...
Immigration Issues 10-Year Green Card By Mistake | Error on Green Card
Occasionally, USCIS may issue green cards that erroneously indicate the wrong date of expiration. In fact, in late 2016, a New York Times article reported that an Officer of Inspector General report found that more than 2400 permanent residents who were approved for...
File For Your Family’s Visa Before It Becomes Too Late | Plans to Limit Immigration
Over the last few weeks, there has been significant coverage of immigration in the media due to the government shutdown as well as President Trump's bold agenda to tighten border security and restrict immigration. While much attention has been given to the fate of...
How Long Can I Stay Outside the US Without Losing My Green Card?
Most permanent residents are aware that while they are authorized to stay indefinitely inside United States, they risk losing their status if they remain outside for an extended period of time. For all practical purposes, a green card holder will likely be refused...
Not All Green Card Holders Qualify for the 212h Criminal Waiver
The Board of Immigration Appeals ("BIA") recently issued a precedential decision late this month that may be of interest to green card holders who are or may be facing removal proceedings. The case is Matter of Giovanni Rosalia VELLA, 27 I &N Dec. 138 (2017). The...