If you or a loved one is working towards getting their green card, the process can seem somewhat intimidating given the amount of work that it requires. Knowing what to file, when to file it, and where can get complicated with all the requirements you’ll have to meet in the pursuit of your green card. Contact a local Chicago green card attorney today at Sverdloff Law Group to help with your application.
A green card, which is officially known as a “permanent resident card,” allows you to live and work indefinitely in the United States. While there is a set process to achieve a green card, your individual situation will determine which steps you must take during the green card application process. Before filing for your green card, it is important to first consider whether or not you are even eligible.
U.S. immigration laws provide a number of ways for people to apply for a green card. To qualify for a green card, you must fit within one of the eligibility categories. Eligibility might be through family relationships, through employment, through refugee or asylee status, as a special immigrant, for human trafficking and crime victims, through registry, for victims of abuse, and through other categories. Once you know you are eligible to apply, the process can proceed.
To begin, most people applying for a green card will have to complete a minimum of two forms, an immigrant petition and a green card application, Form I-485. Generally, the person who is sponsoring you will have to file the petition for you, although in limited cases, you are able to file the petition yourself.
If you are in the United States, your process will pursue an adjustment of your status with USCIS. If you are outside of the United States, the process is called “consular processing” and will proceed forward through the proper U.S. consulate or embassy. A green card attorney can help you determine which process is the right one for you.
An experienced immigration attorney can sit down with you and go over the details of your unique situation and help to advise you on how to apply for your green card to get the fastest results with the best possible chance of approval. You want to avoid delays or hiccups whenever possible, and having an attorney who has been through the process before and knows how to look out for your best interests will best support the outcome of your green card application and its success.
Obtaining a green card has many benefits, though the application process can be daunting. Always seek assistance from an experienced attorney from the start of the process. Reach out to Sverdloff Law Group and schedule a consultation to discuss your case today.