Can A Green Card Attorney Help You?

When you’re overwhelmed by the green card application procedures, green card attorneys are the only professionals who can help you. About 6-8 million applications are made each year, and about 10-12% of them are denied. You, as a green card applicant, can be one of them. But green card lawyers can help you avoid the situation.

Are you tired of filling out the paperwork and following complex immigration laws? Well, you’re not alone. Thousands like you go for green card lawyers to avoid these complexities. So, today we will discuss all about green cards and green card lawyers.

After reading this article, you will learn the green card processes and how a green card attorney can help you as well. So, let’s dive in.

Understanding Green Card: Eligibility And Processes

The green card is a document that permits a non-U.S. citizen to gain permanent residence in the United States. Officially known as a permanent residence card, it allows one to move anywhere in the country, find jobs, and settle with the family. The green card is a permanent solution and can lead to citizenship.

Eligibility For Green Cards

Very first, you have to understand whether you’re eligible for a green card or not. You would be considered fit for a green card if:

• You’re a family member or immediate relative of a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• You’re a skilled professional and employed in the United States.
• You’re a special immigrant or Diversity Immigration Visa holder.
• You are a refugee or asylee.
• You are a victim of abuse, human trafficking, or crime.
• You and your family have been living in the United States lawfully or unlawfully since Jan 1, 1972.

Processes Of Getting A Green Card

The Process of getting a green card depends on whether you live inside or outside the United States. If you’re already in the USA, you must file the I-485 form and follow the rest of the procedure. This process is called “Adjustment of Status.”

On the other hand, if you live outside of the USA, you have to follow the procedures of “Consular Processing.” You may need to go through the following steps in consular processing.

• Filing Petition: A U.S. citizen must file a petition for the green card aspirant. For instance, if you’re eligible for a green card through your family, your U.S. citizen relative has to file an I-130 form.
• Prepare Affidavit of Support: Your family member or employer in the USA must accept your financial responsibility to avoid becoming a public charge. For this, the petitioner needs to submit an I-864 form.
• Get Notification from the NVC: NVC or National Visa Center will notify you and your petitioner when the petition is received. NVC is responsible for collecting visa application fees and documents.
• Go for the Interview: You will be called for an interview in the consular office. You must produce the documents and answer basic queries before the interviewing officer.
• Get Your Visa Granted: You will get a “Visa Packet” from NVC after getting your immigrant visa approved. You must produce the Visa Packet before the immigration officer when entering the United States at any port.
• Receive Your Green Card: You will get a mail with the green card within 45 days of entering the USA.

4 Ways A Green Card Attorney Can Help You

Seeking a green card can be a complex and puzzling process, as immigration law is a tricky one. In this situation, reaching out to an attorney for green card can ease you and save you time. So, let’s see the 4 exclusive ways a green card attorney can help you.

Ensures You Meet The Proper Criteria

There are different types of green cards offered by the US government. Each has some requirements, and those seeking green cards must meet these criteria. Determining for which category of green card you are eligible is the first step of the process. An experienced family based green card attorney can help you ensure the criteria you need to get a green card.

For instance, all the relatives are not fit for the green card in the family category. And sometimes, it may not be easy to prove a relative or adopted child legit through documents. In this situation, a family based green card attorney can represent the case and get a beneficial result.

Help You With Paperwork And Documentation

The application for green cards involves a variety of paperwork with different costs and places to send each document. A small error, unintentional misinformation, or missing evidence can deny your application. A green card lawyer experienced in immigration law has the eyes to catch tricky mistakes and organize the information.

Your green card application lawyer can help you to complete the paperwork and present evidence. Moreover, your green card application lawyer will also inform you about what documents you need earlier so you can easily collect them.

Prepare You For The Interview

Most green card applicants must face an interview process. This interviewing process is a way of verifying the given information in the application. The applicants may be asked questions concerning their criminal records, job status, marital status, etc.

Green card attorneys may help you prepare for the interview. They can teach you how to answer tricky questions or what documents to carry.

Attorneys’ Good Relationship With Government Officials Makes The Process Smooth

Reputed green card lawyers maintain good professional relationships with the government officials they work with. These relationships of trust and professionalism encourage agreements between the officials and attorneys. Consequently, the immigration officers tend to make the process smooth and speedy for the family green cards if they trust the family based green card attorney.

So, hiring an attorney for green card would be a plus point for you to have smooth processing.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Let’s learn the answers to some crucial questions that might peep into your head as a green card applicant now.

Can A Lawyer Help You Get A Green Card?

Yes, a green card attorney can help you to get a green card without any complexity. A seasoned green card may help you to finish paperwork and documentation without any mistakes and also navigate you throughout the process.

Can A Lawyer Speed Up The Green Card Process?

The time needed to issue a green card varies on the type of green card you’re applying for and eligible for. However, the entire procedure may take several months. The process may delay due to:

• Filing the wrong form or paperwork
• Unsigned documents
• Missed evidence
• Documents not translated into English

Your green card attorney can help you to complete the paperwork without any mistakes. And that will practically speed up the green card process.

Should I Bring An Attorney To My Green Card Interview?

You have the right to bring an attorney to your green card interview. And this is not seen negatively at all. Your attorney may make things more clear and give clarifications of the evidence to the interviewing officer.

Do You Need A Lawyer To Apply For A Green Card?

You can submit your green card application on your own. You don’t need a lawyer if you have similar experience and enough time to fight the complicated process. But, hiring an attorney for green card will make the process more manageable if you’re applying for the first time.

How Costly Are Green Card Attorney Fees?

Green card attorney fees vary depending on your case and green card type. The fees also depend on the lawyer’s demand, intent, and the state you’re applying from. However, the green card attorney fees range from $700 to $5000, according to the type of green card you’re seeking.

The Bottom Line

Living the American dream may become a reality by getting a green card. But applying for and acquiring a green card is pretty frustrating. However, as you read here, you already know how a green card application lawyer can help you there. Hopefully, you found this article helpful, and now you’re confident about the valuable role of a green card attorney.

Do you want to know about Family Sponsored Visa? Check out this article.