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The answer is no, not if the marriage was entered into in good faith. A US Citizen marries a foreign national. We know that marriage alone does not give any legal immigration status to her spouse. She then files a petition for him and he ultimately becomes a Lawful Conditional Resident as oppo...
If you are living in the United States and are not a citizen, criminal convictions can have devastating immigration consequences. If you are not very careful during your criminal defense, you could find yourself behind bars, subject to a federal immigration hold, or worse yet, subject to mandator...
The answer is YES. If youre not a US Citizen, you can probably be deported based on your conduct. Those who have a “greencard” in the United States, or more accurately called “Lawful Permanent Residents” or “LPRs” can be deported for several different reasons. Some of the ways are: ...
I HAVE MARRIED A UNITED STATES CITIZEN, CAN I BECOME LEGAL? So you are a foreign national and have married a United States citizen. You would now like to become a lawful permanent resident. What is involved? It depends… it depends on a number of things. First- the very good news. ...
Most of my clients who are presently inside the U.S., and who are going to leave to consular process, are from Mexico. Most of my clients (and especially their families) are terrified to leave the U.S. They may have heard horror stories where a person leaves to go to the US Consulate in Mexico,...
by Chris Keen, August 1, 2017 Many have asked me whether they need an attorney to file immigration forms. I always tell them no, you do not need an attorney, but in many cases I recommend it. Filling out forms with biographical information is not difficult for most people. Knowing what form...
You do not have to remain in the US while your naturalization is pending. However, you want to make sure that you do not interrupt continuous residence and that you can meet the physical presence requirements for naturalization. Immediately preceding the date of filing an application for natural...
EXPUNGEMENT AND IMMIGRATION LAW Why doesnt expungement work for immigration law? Expungements arent recognized by immigration law, generally speaking. This is because in immigration law, a conviction that is erased or expunged merely because the individual has behaved during probation and ...
Expungements have taken a more significant role for immigrants. With enforcement taking a center stage in politics, non-citizens with criminal convictions may be exposed to immigration consequences that are very severe. See my blog Part I on Expungements for the basics. Part II discusses...
Expungements - or sealing your criminal case - have a purpose - but they do not erase a crime from history or from the reach of immigration.
Immigration law is pretty complex. It may seem at first like just a few simple forms to submit, but it is not as easy as it may seem. Sometimes determining what exactly you are eligible for is very tough, and only an experienced immigration attorney can help. In immigration law, paying an attorney can sometimes save you lots of money and lots of time. Think twice before proceeding without a lawyer.
Young people in the U.S. who are undocumented and who do not have parents here may qualify for a special status and may become lawful permanent residents. There is a process to go through that must be started before the child becomes a certain age.
Many non-US Citizen parents of Citizen children have heard that their child can petition for them at the age of 21. But many do not understand that there is more to the process. If the parent has not maintained lawful status, or has worked without authorization, unless an exception applies he or she may be ineligible to become a lawful permanent resident.
Recent news on New Year's weekend raids has caused a media frenzy. While the facts on these raids are still developing, there are certain things that you should know. I. ICE is targeting people with final orders of deportation. II. Targets are supposedly all people who are an enforcement prior...
Imagine this: you've lived in the United States for years. You have two children who are US Citizens. You made a silly mistake and had to plead guilty to a misdemeanor offense…then, ICE put you in handcuffs, and arrest you. For the undocumented, this is a real fear – it is however a known fea...
Earlier this month I had the pleasure – and I say that sincerely – the pleasure of attending a naturalization ceremony in Salt Lake City Utah. There was standing room only as many guests had come to see their friends and family take the oath to become a US Citizen. Nearly 200 immigrants became...
“My father was a U.S. citizen, but I was born in another country.” Everyone in the government kept telling me I didn’t belong in the U.S., that I should give up and go “home” to the U.K. Immigration kept trying to get rid of me, and even issued a deportation order. Luckily, I found Keen Law Offices. Mr. Keen was the only person who believed I was a citizen; he fought my case, and after a long battle, Immigration gave in. They even issued me a certificate stating that I was a U.S. citizen since birth!”
Stephen, Immigration Client