Bellflower Immigration Lawyer

In the state of California, there are over 10 million immigrants. Each of them came to California to make a better life for themselves and their families. In addition to individual interests, companies are hiring foreign nationals because diversity of background, skill, and perspective helps organizations thrive. If you are facing immigration-related issues in Bellflower, CA, then a Bellflower immigration lawyer can support and assist you with your case.

Our immigration law team at US Law Center has been assisting people, families, and companies in Bellflower for years to help them build up and defend their American dream. Whether you are facing challenges with the paperwork for your foreign national employees or are having trouble with renewing a visa or green card, our loyal and knowledgeable attorneys can work with you to help optimize your case outcomes.

Understanding the Difference: Visa vs. Green Card

To successfully immigrate to the United States, it’s important to be aware of all the basic terminology and legal processes so that you can decide which one is optimal for your situation. However, this can sometimes become overwhelming, and also complex, as the policies surrounding immigration are ever-changing or under dispute.

However, the main types of legal documents that non-foreign nationals can acquire to visit or live in the United States are visas and green cards. A visa is acquired prior to travel to the United States, and it is used as a prerequisite for being admitted into the country. A green card, on the other hand, is applied for while the applicant is already in the country. To apply for a green card, a person must obtain an immigration visa prior to traveling to the U.S.

Visas

Visas typically do not have an open-ended amount of time associated with them for the individual to stay. Non-immigrant visas, especially, are linked to a reason for traveling to the country and have a specific amount of time allotted, usually based on the booked flight schedule. Immigrant visas can become a path to permanent residency in the U.S., but the document alone does not guarantee this.

Green Cards

A green card, as opposed to a visa, grants permanent residence to the cardholder, and it also opens up the opportunity to apply for citizenship after three to five years. The green card must be renewed every ten years. If you are struggling with understanding which documents would be optimal for your purpose for travel or residence in Bellflower, California, then the legal team at US Law Center can assist you.

Processing the Green Card

The amount of processing time for a green card can range from a couple of months to multiple years, which can vary based on your criteria, the type of green card that you are applying for, and your application location. An immigration lawyer from our legal team can help you get a more detailed timeline based on the conditions of your application.

Green Card Processing in the United States

If you are an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen who is applying for a permanent adjustment of status within the country, then you can expect to wait between 13 and 21 months. If you are applying for a family-based green card, and your immediate relative or spouse is a green card holder, then you may have to wait up to two years or longer.

Green Card Processing From Outside the United States

If you are the spouse or immediate relative of a U.S. citizen who is applying outside the United States for a green card, then the wait will likely range from 13 to 15 months. Green card categories that are not family-based are capped based on the number of applicants from a certain country, so the processing times can differ widely.

Costs Associated With a Green Card

If you are applying for a family-based green card, then the filing fee with the government is $1,225. This does not include the expenses associated with getting the vaccination form and medical exam, which are crucial to submitting your application. If you are concerned about the financing and costs of your green card application, then our compassionate and knowledgeable legal team can assist you.

Understanding Green Card Types

Depending on the type of green card that you apply for, your application process could be different. While one of the most commonly used green cards is the family-based green card, there are other types of green cards that you may be eligible for, depending on the circumstances of your case. The types of green cards include: 

• Family-Based: The family-based green card is a category that is used for immediate relatives of U.S. lawful permanent residents and U.S. citizens, such as parents, unmarried children under the age of 21, and spouses, along with family-preference categories, such as adult children who are unmarried, siblings, and married children.
• Longtime Resident: Individuals who have lived lawfully and unlawfully in the United States since before January 1, 1972, are eligible to apply for this green card.
• Employment-Based: This green card category is for people who have been offered a permanent employment position in the United States, and it can fall under different categories, depending on certain qualifications, employment types, and skills.
• Diversity Lottery: Each year, the United States government picks 50,000 individuals from an application pool that covers six main geographic regions in the world, such as Oceania and Africa. Countries with historically low rates of applicants are prioritized.
• Humanitarian-Based: This category of green card is for certain vulnerable individuals, such as asylum seekers and refugees who had to flee their home or host country due to dire circumstances, such as violent conflict or natural disaster.
• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status: Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, or SIJS, is another humanitarian reason to be granted a green card, and it is for children who have immigrated to the U.S. and have been abused or neglected. It is also for those who are unable to be reunited with their parents.

In addition to these types of green cards, there are other kinds of green cards that can be granted, based on eligibility requirements and purpose of residence in the United States. For example, green cards based on the criteria of the Violence Against Women Act allow immediate family members of abusive U.S. lawful permanent residents or U.S. citizens to apply for their own lawful permanent residence status, unlinked and unbeknownst to the abuser.

FAQs for Immigration Lawyers

Q: How Can I Get a Family-Based Green Card in California?

A: If you are a close relative of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, then you are eligible to apply for your own family-based green card. Eligible individuals include children, spouses, parents, and siblings of U.S. citizens. The green card application process requires first obtaining an immigration visa to enter the United States and then applying for a legal status modification while in the country.

Q: Can I Work as a Physician in the United States With a Green Card?

A: It is possible to work in the United States as a physician if you did not receive your medical degree in a U.S.-accredited institution. To do this, you can apply for an EB-2 green card with a special waiver. However, you must agree to work full-time as a physician in areas that are underserved as well as meet other specific criteria. An immigration lawyer can assist you in understanding what your options are for practicing as a physician in the United States.

Q: Can an Immigration Lawyer Speed Up My Green Card Application in California?

A: A California immigration lawyer can help you optimize your immigration process by assisting you in choosing an immigration avenue that fits your needs and criteria. They can also help ensure that all necessary paperwork is filed and requirements are met on time. However, they cannot alter the speed at which the U.S. government will process your specific application. Therefore, they can help the application process go smoothly, but they cannot override processing times.

Q: Can I Get a Green Card as a Human Trafficking Victim in California?

A: If you have been a victim of human trafficking in the United States, meaning that you were either unlawfully or lawfully brought into the country as a result of such activity, then you can apply for a T visa to reside for up to 4 years in the country. However, you will need to assist prosecutors with obtaining information to identify individuals in human trafficking schemes. A U.S. immigration attorney can help you understand what your options are for applying for a humanitarian-based green card.

Schedule Today: Bellflower, CA, Immigration Lawyer – Free Consultation

Whether you are a foreign investor looking to expand your business interests in the United States or an individual seeking refuge or asylum due to circumstances in your home country, a legal representative from US Law Center can assist you. Our firm can help determine which immigration avenues you qualify for and walk you through each step of the process. Contact a member of our team today to get started.