How To Get Permanent ResidencY
Immigration Lawyers With Over
20 Years of Experience in Bellflower, CA
(562) 925-2921
What Is A Permanent Residence? (Green Card)
A Permanent Resident Card, commonly known as a green card, is the gateway to permanent residence and employment authorization for noncitizens in the U.S.
The surge in green card applications with 1.02 million accepted in 2022, underlines its pivotal role. As of January 2023, 12.7 million lawful permanent residents reside in the U.S.
A permanent residency lawyer can greatly increase your likelihood of developing a strong case and understanding the best choice for you. Speak to our immigration lawyers in Bellflower, CA today to learn how you can obtain a residence, green card, visa, and more.
How to change visa status to residency?
Call Us For A Consultation
Benefits Of Being A Permanent Resident
Green card benefits continue to expand and progress throughout the years, offering a myriad of perks to permanent residents in America, including:
- Ability to sponsor family members: Permanent residents can sponsor family members, including spouses and children, facilitating family reunification.
- Social security benefits: Green card holders enjoy Social Security benefits, encompassing medical care and retirement support.
- Access to American education and scholarships: Permanent residents have access to the American education system and various scholarship opportunities.
- Career opportunities: Green card holders benefit from diverse job opportunities across industries, coupled with competitive compensation.
- International travel flexibility: Permanent residents can travel in and out of the U.S. with ease, with the option to stay outside U.S. borders for extended periods.
How To Get A Permanent Residence (Green Card)
1. Get A Student Visa
F1 student visas allow you to reside in the country as long as you are in school, but it can open the door for many pathways. Changing an F1 visa to a dual intent visa, gives you the ability to apply for a green card if your boss sponsors you. The first step is to get a student visa for academic pursuits in the U.S.
Next, you can leverage Optional Practical Training (OPT) for post-graduate work to get an H1B work visa and you can have your boss to apply for labor certification which means that there are no workers available and ready to take the job. Lastly, the green card application process involves the Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. An immigrant cannot apply for an H1B work visa, but rather their employer applies for the work to be outsourced to you as a work visa.
H1B visas, tailored for individuals with specialized skills, offer options for obtaining a green card through labor certification or pursuing an EB-2 extraordinary worker green card based on a national interest waiver. An EB-2 application allows you to self-petition, and not be dependent upon a job offer.
You still must supply evidence of your advanced degree or exceptional ability and meet the national interest waiver criteria such as having national importance and substantial merit that would be beneficial for the U.S. Another similar avenue is to apply for an Extraordinary Ability green card. This allows those with abilities that exceed their peers to qualify for a visa without requiring a job offer.
The fields often include science, art, business, or athletics. Letters of recommendation from employers attributing one’s positive impact, as well as awards and other internationally recognized documentation is also strong evidence for an applicant.
You have two options as an applicant: you can independently apply or secure a job in your field where the employer sponsors you. Meeting the necessary evidence requirements, including research, or published works in your specific field, or recognition from peers is crucial for a successful application. Academic records showing you have a degree, diploma, license, certificate, or similar record is also important criteria.
2. Related to a member of the military?
Another viable pathway to secure permanent residency in the United States is by being related to a member of the military. Individuals with close family ties to active-duty U.S. military personnel may have an opportunity to navigate the immigration process and may be eligible for an adjustment of status.
This pathway acknowledges the sacrifices and contributions of military families, offering them a streamlined approach to achieving permanent residency. While specific details and requirements may vary, this option emphasizes the significance of family connections within the military framework as a favorable factor in the immigration journey.
3. Get An Investor Green Card
An avenue for individuals with substantial capital for investment is known as the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. This option allows flexibility in choosing investment formats, ranging from sole proprietorship and partnership to holding companies, joint ventures, corporations, or business trusts. The EB-5 Program is overseen by USCIS, providing an avenue for investors, along with their spouses and unmarried children under 21, to seek lawful permanent residence, essentially becoming Green Card holders.
Eligibility for this program entails making a requisite investment in a U.S. commercial enterprise. Additionally, applicants must have the intention to either create or sustain 10 permanent full-time jobs for qualified U.S. workers. This initiative combines investment in the American economy with the goal of contributing to job growth and development.
4. family-based Green Card
Family-based green cards are the largest group to enter the U.S. Understanding the nuances of family-based green card categories is crucial. These green cards have the least amount of barriers for approval due to the U.S. prioritizing the unification of families.
Immediate family members, including spouses, children under 21 years old, and parents of U.S. citizens, benefit from expedited processing due to fewer barriers for approval.
Marriage to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident serves as a direct path to a green card. The process entails sponsorship by an immediate relative, involving the filing of Forms I-130 and I-485, with a stringent focus on proving the authenticity of the marital union. For many, marriage is a pathway to a more permanent solution.
5. Be A Victim Of A crime in the united States
Additionally, U Visas cater to victims of domestic violence or abuse, along with witnesses of crimes, providing avenues for legal status and eventual permanent residency. Each route entails its own set of criteria and processes, offering diverse options based on individual circumstances.
The U nonimmigrant status, commonly known as the U Visa, is reserved for individuals who have been victims of specific crimes, enduring mental or physical abuse, and have cooperated with law enforcement or government officials in addressing criminal activities.
Individuals who have experienced sexual abuse, domestic violence, human trafficking, and similar crimes are eligible to apply for the U Visa. Established in 2000 through the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act by the United States Congress, this visa serves as a recourse for foreign citizens who have fallen prey to such forms of abuse. Another purpose was to encourage immigrants to report crimes to law enforcement and to protect those individuals willing to cooperate.
The U Visa aims to provide victims of abuse with a work permit, legal residence in the U.S., and a potential pathway to permanent residency. Enacted to empower law enforcement agencies, it facilitates the investigation and prosecution of cases while safeguarding crime victims who have endured significant mental or physical harm and are willing to collaborate with law enforcement authorities.
Other Ways To Obtain Residency
Apart from the highlighted methods, various alternative pathways exist for individuals seeking U.S. residency. Seeking asylum at a U.S. port of entry is one avenue, requiring proof of persecution in their home country based on factors like race, religion, nationality, participation in a specific social group, or political opinions.
Refugees outside the U.S. with similar concerns can also apply for protection. Those illegally in the U.S. can pursue asylum, presenting evidence, including police reports, to aid investigations or prosecutions.
Residency Processes We Offer
- Temporary Protected Status (TPS) (I-821)
- Citizenship (Form N-400)
- Family Petition (I-130)
- Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver (I-601A)
- Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility (I-601)
- Advanced Parole Application for Travel Document (I-131)
- Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) (I-360)
- U-Visa (I-918)
- Application for Employment Authorization (I-765)
- Replacement Legal Permanent Resident Card (I-90)
- Permission to Reapply for Admission Into the United States After Deportation Removal (I-212)
- Amerasian Act (I-360)
- Adjustment of Status Supplement A (245i)
- Parole in Place (I-131)
- Legal Permanent Resident/Adjustment of Status (I-485)
Contact Us Today To Discover Our Dedication To Your Immigration Success
Our immigration lawyers can help you identify which pathway to residence you can benefit from. Secondly, your process will be guided and taken care of as quickly as possible.
If you have any questions about your immigration process or how to get started, our team of experts is here to help. We specialize in all immigration matters, including those unique and often distressing situations that require the guidance of an experienced professional.
Are you interested in gaining legal status? Do you already have legal status and are interested in adjusting your status? Would you like your family abroad to join you here in the United States? Are you unsure about your own or a loved one’s eligibility for residency or citizenship due to a criminal record, overstayed visa, or previous apprehension by immigration?
We will help you adjust your status for you and your loved ones currently residing in the country, or for those looking to reside in the country currently living abroad. We have over 20 years of experience. Call Xavier Law Firm today if you are looking for the best residency attorneys and immigration lawyers that Bellflower, CA has to offer.
Our Immigration Lawyers
Save You Time And Money
Each year, countless individuals face complex immigration challenges, hopelessly believing an entire restart is necessary. Many law firms may recommend extensive processes, but our immigration lawyers in Bellflower, CA save you a fortune by expertly handling necessary legal procedures to secure your status in the United States.
Our team of lawyers is dedicated to providing prompt and reliable services. We understand the intricacies of immigration cases, offering a transparent and comprehensive plan tailored to your specific situation. Our clients value our commitment, attention to detail, and the high standards we uphold in every case.
