Each year the U.S. embraces thousands of foreign workers in numerous occupations such as agricultural workers, cultural exchange participants, scientists, artists, information technology (I.T.) experts, religious workers, investors, entrepreneurs, athletes, nurses and more. A foreign worker needs to acquire authorization to work lawfully in the U.S. Every work category for entrance has unique requirements, circumstances as well as approved intervals of stay. It is crucial that you stick to the conditions of your respective application or petition for entry and visa. Any violation can lead to removal or denial of re-entry to the U. S. Permanent Worker (Immigrant) A permanent worker is an person that is authorized to reside and work permanently in the country. Temporary Worker (Nonimmigrant) A temporary worker is an person hoping to enter the U . s temporarily for a particular objective. Nonimmigrants enter the U . s . for a temporary period, and when in the us, are limited to the activity or reason for which their nonimmigrant visa was given.

Sometimes when a person is arrested by authorities (Police, F.B.I., D.H.S., etc.) a judge may set a bond so you can leave the prison. Bond is an amount of money that the detainee puts down as warranty that he/she will appear in future court hearings and will give up if he/she fails to do so.

This is a discretionary benefit modifying the status of an alien from that of deportable alien to one legally accepted suitable for permanent residency. Application for cancellation of removal is made through a hearing in front of an immigration judge.

An Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility (also known as a I-601), is a resources that might enable an alien that was denied admission to the United States to obtain entrance as a lawful permanent resident or fiancé(e) under certain circumstances. A waiver of this kind is based on the possibility of causing extreme hardship to the relatives (resident or U.S. citizen) of the person who was denied inadmissibility. Waivers of Grounds of Inadmissibility are discretional so it is important to show that the alien really deserves it.

Immigration Law is a very serious matter. There are many acts and crimes that are IMMIGRATION OFFENSES: It is a criminal offense to file a green card application based on a sham marriage. If you attempt to qualify for a green card in this way, you will risk money penalties and a long jail sentence as well as deportation. In addition, you will almost certainly be permanently barred from getting a green card. If there is a U. S. citizen involved, he/she also risks being charged a fine and/or going to jail.

Citizenship through Naturalization The NATURALIZATION process grants U.S. citizenship a foreign citizen if the person meets all the requirements that the Congress of the United States established in the Immigration and Nationality Act. You may qualify for naturalization if you have been a “green card” holder for at least five years, or three years if you are married to a citizen of the United States. If you are a member of the U.S. armed forces you have different requirements. You will also need to pass a U.S. history, civics and English language test. In some cases such test may be waived.

Bearing a card is the same as being a U.S. LPR. The document (PERMANENT RESIDENT CARD) is commonly referred to as “GREEN CARD” because it really was green and now it is mostly white. A card identifies the holder as a person who can reside permanently and indefinitely in U.S. territory, travelling from and to the United States as needed (but making the United States your permanent home, otherwise, you may lose the right to a “GREEN CARD”. We strongly advise not to stay outside the U.S. longer than six months at a time.) Since 1989 “GREEN CARDS” are issued with an expiration date of ten years from the issue date, meaning that you have to replace the card, not that your right to permanent residency ends. It’s wise not to spend more than six months at a time outside the U.S. All green cards issued since 1989 carry expiration dates of ten years from the date of issue. This does not mean that the residency itself expires in ten years, just that the card must be replaced.

If an entrepreneur is willing to invest certain amount of money and to create a minimum full-time permanent positions for U.S. workers, he/she is entitled to receive immigration benefits (INVESTMENT VISA).

The majority of U.S. citizens know they are (because they were born in the country or because they went through the NATURALIZATION process, but there are some person who are U.S. citizens and ignore it. That is because they were born in a different country (to U.S. citizen parents) or their parents became U.S. citizens. What the person needs to find out is if there is a U.S. citizen in his/her direct ancestry, even if that family member has not been living in the U.S. for a while. A child of a U.S. citizen, who is Legal Permanent Resident, is eligible for U.S. citizenship without applying for NATURALIZATION. It is always good to apply for an N-600 form (Application for Certificate of Citizenship).

By definition, a nonimmigrant visa is a temporary visa, one that allows you to stay in the U.S. for a limited period and there are many different type of nonimmigrant visas and each one of them has an specific purpose. For example, the visa you need to obtain to study is an F-1 or student visa, which is different than E-2 (investor) or B-2 (visitor). All of them are nonimmigrant visas. Visas are designed (all of them, nonimmigrant and immigrant visas) to allow you to perform specific duties during specific time. Therefore, you need to apply to the specific visa you need and limit yourself to the period and duties authorized. Your nonimmigrant visa could be revoked if authorities fear you are going to perform duties different than what the visa states or if they think you are planning to stay indefinitely in the U.S.A. A nonimmigrant visa will never lead you to become a U.S. citizen.

An IMMIGRATION or INMIGRANT visa is a document given by United States consular official in your country of origin that lets you to visit the U.S. and submit an application for entry like a lawful permanent resident (LPR). An immigration inspector from Customs and Border Protection, PART OF of the Department of Homeland Security, makes the ultimate decision as to whether or not to admit you as an LPR. Once you are accepted as an LPR, you usually have right to living and working in the U.S. permanently. Citizenship and Immigration Services will mail your permanent resident card (“green card”) to your new street address, typically within 90 days from your admittance into the U.S. In case you are approved for a green card in a consulate or embassy, you will not receive your actual resident card until you enter the U.S. territory and to do this, you must have a visa. Consequently, if you are given the right to a green card, you will obtain an immigrant visa. An immigrant visa allows you admittance towards the U.S., take up permanent residence, and obtain a green card.

The Unites States welcomes not only businessmen but their their immediate relatives including spouse and minor children who are investing in the U. S. and are planning to create ten employment positions or more for well qualified U. S. laborers and may even qualify for Permanent Residence (“green card”). Right now, every fiscal year about ten thousand visas can be implemented for qualified businessmen. To qualify, the businessperson must put down one million dollars or half a million in certain employment areas where there is a considerable percentage of unemployed population. Immigration may grant availability to stay permanently to such person applying. You will need: • An accepted (approved) petition (Form I-526). • A valid visa to enter the U. S. • There has to be an available visa ( remember, right now the limit is 10, 000 per year). You may apply for this visa in the U. S. embassy or consulate at your corresponding location in the event you do not live in the U. S. This is what they usually call a Consular process, in which USCIS (Immigration) and the Department of State work together to issue a visa on an approved Form I-526. If you reside in the U. S. you may become a conditional permanent resident through adjustment of status. You may apply for this when the Form I-526 is approved and a visa number is available, you can apply for conditional permanent residence on Form I-485 ( also known as Adjust Status or Application to Register Permanent Residence). I-485: requirements: Pay Fees Certified copies of court records ( If you were ever arrested ) Birth certificate (copy) Photo I. D. issued by government Passport page where the entry or parole was stamped (copy) Passport page with nonimmigrant visa, if applicable (copy) Form G-325A, (if your age is 14 -79) Report of Vaccinations and Medical Examination (Form I-693) Form I-94 Form I-797, approval notice of I-526 Two passport photos Spouse (husband or wife) and unmarried children (daughters and sons) under 21 years of age may be included on the petition. If they reside in the US, each of them will need to submit a Form I-485.

If the porpose of visiting the U.S. is to conduct business (take part in a conference, convention or seminar, negotiate and sign contracts, litigate, take part in an exposition, etc.) you may qualify for a business visa as long as you do not plan to receive monetary retribution while in the country.

Thousands of persons become Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S. and receive “Green Cards” through family members every year. Persons who may qualify to become Legal Permanent Residents: • Immediate relatives of U.S. citizen 21 or older (husband/wife, unmarried children under 21, father and mother). • Unmarried sons or daughters 21 or older, married sons or daughters of all ages, brothers and sisters of U.S. citizen 21 or older. • Husband/wife, unmarried children under 21 of a Legal Permanent Resident • Member of a special category (victims of violence, of abuse -VAWA, visa K nonimmigrant (fince(é), spose), children born to a foreign diplomat in the U.S., a V nonimmigrant visa holder or a widow(er) of a U.S. Citizen.

A person who wishes to study a FULL-TIME academic or vocational program in the U.S. may be eligible for one of two nonimmigrant student categories. The F category is for academic students and the M is for vocational students. The J visas are for individuals who want to participate in an exchange program as exchange visitors. J visas are specifically for educational and cultural exchange programs.