Short Hills Green Card Consultants
Experienced Immigration Representation
If you are interested in naturalizing and becoming a U.S. citizen, you
will have to first obtain a green card. A green card is a type of visa
that grants lawful permanent residency.
As a lawful permanent resident, you can live and work practically anywhere
in the United States and enjoy several other key benefits, including the
ability to sponsor certain family members for green cards. Only lawful
permanent residents can apply to become
permanent citizens after a mandatory waiting period.
Our Short Hills green card consultants at Worldwide Legal Services can
help you and your loved ones become lawful permanent residents. Our team
has over 50 years of combined professional experience and has handled
more than 10,000 cases. We are extensively familiar with all methods of
obtaining green cards, and no matter your situation, we are committed
to leveraging our knowledge and resources to help you build your American Dream.
Explore your options for obtaining a green card today by calling
(908) 948-8909 or
contacting us online. Payment plans are available, and we offer our services in English, Spanish,
and Portuguese.
How To Legally Obtain a Green Card
There are several means through which you can apply for a green card. Some
methods are more efficient than others.
Green cards can be obtained through:
Current U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can sponsor certain
family members for green cards. U.S. citizens can leverage the immediate
relative categories, which include:
- Spouses
- Parents
- And unmarried children under the age of 21
Because immediate relative categories have no annual cap, beneficiaries
will face no additional wait for a visa once their sponsorship petition
has been approved.
Lawful permanent residents can sponsor their spouses and unmarried children
through the family preference categories. U.S. citizens can also sponsor their:
- Siblings
- Adult children
- And married children under these categories
Family preference categories
do have an annual cap, meaning beneficiaries must wait for a visa to become
available after their petition has been approved. The length of the wait
will depend on the case backlog, the beneficiary’s country of origin,
and their familial relationship with the sponsor. Our team can help you
sponsor your loved ones for green cards as efficiently as possible.
Employment Immigration
Businesses based in the United States can sponsor prospective employees
for green cards for the purposes of filling positions that cannot otherwise
be filled by domestic workers. Employment-based green cards are distributed
across preference categories that priorities those with “extraordinary
abilities” and advanced degrees.
Workers with:
- Bachelor’s degrees
- Skilled workers
- Unskilled workers
- And immigrant investors can also qualify
In many situations, your U.S.-based prospective employer must obtain labor
certification before proceeding with seeking your visa. This complicated
process involves proving there are no domestic workers willing or able
to take the job at a fair industry rate. We regularly work with individuals
and businesses to navigate the employment immigration process.
Individuals granted asylum status in the United States can apply for a
green card
after 1 year.
Obtaining asylum status involves demonstrating past persecution or a “well-founded
fear” of future persecution in your home country or previous country
of residence on the basis of your :
- Race
- Religion
- Nationality
- Political beliefs
- Or membership in a particular social group
You will need to be able to draw a direct line between the past or feared
persecution and the protected ground. We regularly assist individuals
who seek asylum as a removal defense as well as those who proactively
after entering the country. If you have already been granted asylum status,
we can help you take the necessary steps to secure your green card.
The Diversity Lottery
The United States annually issues 50,000 green cards to individuals and
their families through a lottery system. In order to enter the lottery,
you must meet two main requirements.
Your country of birth must be a nation that does not send many immigrants
to the U.S., and you must have a certain level of education. Our Short
Hills green card consultants can determine if you meet the lottery’s
requirements and help you enter at the appropriate time.
The EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
Each year, USCIS issues up to 10,000 green cards to entrepreneurs that
make qualifying investments in U.S.-based commercial enterprises. To obtain
an EB-5 green card, you must invest a minimum of $1,800,000 in any new
or existing business.
Alternatively, you only need to invest $900,000 if you target a USCIS-approved
rural or economically distressed area. The investment must create or preserve
at least 10 American jobs within 2 years. If you are an entrepreneur willing
to make this level of investment, our team can guide you through the process.
Victims of certain serious crimes can obtain a U visa if they are able
to meaningfully assist law enforcement in an ensuing investigation. U
visas are typically valid for up to 4 years, and you can apply for a green
card after 3 years. Timing is extremely important when seeking a green
card on a U visa, but our team can carefully guide you through the process.
T Visas
T visas are similar to U visas but are specifically intended for victims
of human trafficking. These victims can seek relief through the T visa
if they are willing to cooperate with law enforcement in an ensuing investigation.
Like with U visas, T visas last for
up to 4 years, and beneficiaries can apply for green cards after
3 years.
Family members must typically be sponsored by the U.S. citizen or lawful
permanent resident they are related to. However, if a U.S. citizen or
lawful permanent resident is abusive, certain children, spouses, and parents
may be eligible to self-petition for green cards. We can determine if
you qualify and facilitate this method of obtaining a green card without
the cooperation of your abusive family member.
Special Immigrant Categories and Other Exceptions
A myriad of additional exceptions and options are available in miscellaneous
categories. We can review your situation and determine whether any of
these exceptions may apply to you or your loved ones.
