We are proud to announce that our very own Ellen Sullivan is set to be recognized as a Top Lawyer in a forthcoming issue of Boston magazine. Her name will stand alongside those of nearly 1,000 esteemed lawyers, a selection made by Boston Magazine's Top Lawyers. Read More
Why should you get the medical done before you file your I-485 application and, in most cases, submit it with your I-485 application?
You should get your medical exam completed before you file your green card for two important reasons. First, you–and I as your attorney–want to see if any issues come up with your medical exam. For example, a client recently conducted her medical exam and learned that she was positive for TB (tuberculosis). With that diagnosis, she is not eligible for a green card. She needed to get the necessary treatment–which took Read More
Why you should get your records through Freedom of Information Act Requests?
Before you do anything with the government, you should find out what records the government has about you. Here are a few examples why: **You’re ready to apply for citizenship, and so you apply for a copy of your USCIS records that relate to your Lawful Permanent Resident Adjustment of Status application. Once you get your USCIS records, you see that you made a mistake on your application: you noted an incorrect Read More
Do you have prior/pending immigration applications?
Generally, having prior or pending immigration applications is not a problem. However, if you want to file for a nonimmigrant visa AFTER you file for a green card, you may have a problem showing that you intend to return to your home country. Also, if you’ve filed or will file other applications, you want to make sure that they are all consistent. If you see a mistake on a past application, don’t change your current Read More
Congratulations Ellen Sullivan!
Congratulations to our Founding Attorney Ellen Sullivan on being selected as a 2023 Thompson Reuters Super Lawyer! Read More
Have you worked in the US without permission?
This won’t be a problem for a spouse of a US citizen UNLESS the person worked without permission and then did NOT disclose that fact when asked about it on an online immigration application, paper submitted application, or in person with an immigration official. A common situation is for a student on an F-visa to babysit while he is in school, and then not disclose that when asked about it on an online immigration Read More
Why do you need to get ALL marriage and divorce certificates?
If you’re trying to figure out if you’re eligible to get a green card based on your marriage to a US citizen or lawful permanent resident, you need to get some marriage documents in order. First, you’ll need a certified copy of your current marriage certificate. If the certificate is not in English, you’ll need an English translation of the document. You can use an online translation service, or you can use a simple Read More
Are you Canadian who has “overstayed” in the US?
There are special (usually positive) issues for Canadians as related to being in the US, even if they “overstay.” The reason is that the US government is not clear about whether Canadians who entered without a visa and who stay longer than 6 months actually have “overstayed.” If you are Canadian, the best course of action is to not stay longer in the US if you entered without a visa. If you did stay in the US more Read More
Have you ever overstayed and left the US?
If you’ve overstayed more than 6 months in the US, and you leave, you will not be able to re-enter the US legally for 3 years, unless you are granted an I-601 waiver. If you’ve overstayed more than 1 year in the US, and you leave, you will not be able to re-enter the US legally for 10 years, unless you are granted an I-601 waiver. If you applied for a visa after you overstayed and left the visa, you’ll most likely be Read More
Are you married to more than one person at the same time?
USCIS will only recognize your first marriage as a valid marriage for immigration purposes. With that, you do not need to disclose marriages that take place after a first marriage is still legally valid. However, talk to an experienced immigration attorney if you have engaged in a marriage ceremony while you are legally married because you may be committing a crime in certain US states and in countries outside of the Read More
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