Green Card Lawyer New York – Berd & Klauss, PLLC
Permanent resident status is also known as being a green card holder. This is one of the most sought after and complicated processes facing many foreign nationals. The first step is determining if one is eligible to receive permanent resident status. There are various categories of individuals who can apply for a green card if they meet the required criteria. Some of these categories are:
- Immediate family members of U.S. citizens and certain preference categories.
- Having specific experience in certain in-demand employment fields.
- Have been under refugee or asylum protection for a specific amount of time.
- Have been a victim of trafficking or other certain types of crime and hold either a T or U Visa.
- Certain victims of abuse.
- Other special green card categories.
When going through the application process the applicant will have to complete several steps and prepare the relevant forms and supporting documents. Most important is the green card application form I-485 and an immigrant petition form.
The specific steps involved when applying for a green card can vary depending on the situation, but most applications follow the following structure:
- Filing an immigrant petition either by a sponsor or applicants eligible to file for themselves.
- After the U.S citizenship and immigration services (USCIS) have approved your petition, the next step is a visa or green card application. This can only be done when there is a visa available for your category. In this intricate process, many seek guidance from a New York Green card lawyer. The visa application is done with the U.S department of state and the green card application with the USCIS.
- Next, biometric data is collected. This involves the provision of signatures, photos, and fingerprints.
- An interview or request for documentation is conducted after the biometrics has been done.
Thereafter, USICS will issue a final decision and issue a green card if all the related requirements are met.
For more information, get in touch with green card lawyer in New York.