Green Cards and Permanent Residence Status

Los Angeles green card attorneys

A green card identifies the holder as a permanent resident of the United States. Permanent residency confers many benefits, including the right to:

• Permanently live in the United States
• Work without restrictions at the job of your choice
• Receive protections through U.S., state and local laws
• Petition for relatives to join you in the United States

A qualified immigration law firm provides comprehensive Los Angeles green card help, including determining the best pathway to permanent residency, submitting a successful application and troubleshooting potential problems.

Pathways to permanent residency

You can obtain permanent residency by several pathways, most commonly through:

• Family-based
• Employment-based
• Asylum or refugee claims
• Humanitarian legislation — such as battered spouse, special immigrant juveniles or Cuban nationals

It is important to know which category matches your circumstances because the qualifications, forms and documentation are different for each group.

USCIS petition

The best immigration attorneys in Los Angeles guide:

• Businesses in securing labor certifications and applying to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration to hire foreign workers
• Treaty investors, treaty traders and individuals with extraordinary abilities self-petition
• Family members in sponsoring their alien relatives
• Asylees, refugees and other eligible humanitarian applicants

Adjustment of status or consular processing

Once you receive an immigrant visa, the next step is to apply for adjustment of status if you are in the United States or consular process if you are located outside of the country. In some cases, you are permitted to file the immigrant petition and adjustment of status applications concurrently to expedite the green card process.

Admissibility issues and waivers

During the application process, you need to address such important issues as:

• Criminal history
• Visa overstay
• Unauthorized employment
• Unlawful presence
• Current status does not permit adjustment of status

Relief may be available. However, applying for your permanent residence may put you at risk of deportation or removal if you have not addressed these serious problems.

Contact an immigration attorney in Los Angeles for a free consultation

Call 323-391-3932 or use the online contact form for assistance with your immigration case from a qualified lawyer near you.