5 Ways Immigration Lawyer Can Help to Get Your Green Card

The process of getting your green card is complex and confusing. Even more so if you are trying to do it on your own without the help of an immigration lawyer with experience in the field. If you are reading this article, it’s likely that you are looking to hire an immigration lawyer to help you get your green card.

Process For Green Cards

The help of an immigration lawyer, you can shorten your wait time and make sure your application doesn’t run into any problems along the way.  To help you narrow down the options, here are the top five ways that an immigration lawyer can help you with your green card application process.

• Complete Application

The first step in applying for a green card is filling out Form I-485. This application allows you to apply for permanent residence and serves as a collection of your background information, such as name, age, Social Security number and work history.  Because of its comprehensive nature, it can be challenging to put together on your own—even though you don’t have to do so. There are many resources available online that can help with completing it. While it’s not necessary to enlist help from an immigration lawyer to fill out Form I-485, doing so may speed up your application process if you have a lot of information that needs to be collected or sorted through.

• Visa Processing

Whether you are just now beginning to process your visa or have been waiting for years, it’s important to have a good immigration lawyer on your side. Depending on where you live and which country you are applying for a visa from, travelling to another country can be challenging and time-consuming—especially if you’re doing it multiple times. By hiring an immigration lawyer, you will never have to worry about going to a consulate on your own again.  Having a good immigration lawyer by your side also means more money in your pocket: lawyers can assist applicants not only with visa processing but also with accommodations when they travel abroad for their appointments, saving both time and money. In addition, each state has its own rules regarding lawsuits against attorneys; some require clients sue over specific things while others don’t allow complaints whatsoever.

• Adjustment of Status Filing

You’re married to a U.S. citizen, you may be eligible to apply for a green card (lawful permanent residence) and immediately become a lawful permanent resident while living in the United States.  This is called adjustment of status. The process includes proving that you entered into your marriage in good faith and aren’t just getting married to get legal immigration status—and that both parties intend to continue their marriage for at least three years after they get their green cards. If you don’t qualify for adjustment of status, your next best option is usually an immigrant visa available through consular processing.

• Interview Preparation

Be aware that without Advance Parole, even legal visitors who are waiting for their permanent resident cards to arrive won’t be allowed to re-enter if they leave. This can lead to deportation, even though you still have valid status in the U.S., so it is crucial to contact an immigration lawyer when you are trying to obtain Advance Parole documents.

• Obtain Advance Parole Documents

What if you get your green card but need to leave and re-enter? This is especially likely in cases where immigrants are being sponsored by their parents or spouse, who can’t easily visit them. 

• To alleviate these fears, many people obtain advance parole documents that allow them to travel without having to worry about immigration consequences. This document doesn’t provide any extra status or benefits when they return, but it does ensure that they won’t have any issues with border agents when they return to the United States. 
• What are some situations where advance parole documents may be helpful? If you need surgery or medical treatment abroad for an illness you don't want to risk in America, an advance parole will allow you back into America without trouble.

The Final Verdict…

When it comes to immigration, things can get pretty confusing. But you don’t have to worry—legal help is at hand! As you can see from our top five tips above, there are many ways in which an immigration lawyer can help you with your green card application. 

Conclusion:

Whether it’s applying for a dependent visa or simply helping you understand which visas are available, immigration lawyers have much to offer in terms of legal counsel and guidance. Getting your green card doesn’t have to be difficult - when armed with right information and right advice, you can knock your application out of park without any hassle. Good luck!