Bona fides are pieces of paper that show that your relationship is real. Real means that you married each other because you wanted a life together, not because one of you paid the other to get married to get a green card. We have a long list of examples of “bona fides” that we give our clients. Sometimes it’s really easy for client to pull together lots of documents because they have years’ worth of joint bank Read More
How can I prepare for my USCIS interview?
Going to a USCIS interview might be nerve-racking for some people. We will help you! Preparing clients for their marriage-based green card interviews or any USCIS interview ends up being a lot of fun. (Really!) You get to stroll down memory lane with your partner, remembering your story, brushing up on details of your history, and getting ready to present your story in words and on paper. To get you ready, we Read More
Can You Get a Green Card with a Criminal Background?
Yes, no, or maybe. This is a complicated question because there are so many types of “criminal backgrounds.” In some cases, you will absolutely not be able to get a green card, for example, if you have a conviction for drug trafficking. In other cases, you may be eligible to get a green card, but with a waiver (special permission) of the criminal violation that would otherwise make you ineligible for the green card. Read More
Green card Approved at US Embassy in Spain
Our client's immigrant visa (green card) application approved at US Embassy in Spain, and bonus? The client was able to travel to the US while he was waiting for the final approval. The US citizen spouse needed to return to the US before our client was able to get an immigrant visa, aka as a “green card.” We represented the couple as they were separated for over a year and half, during COVID, waiting for his Read More
What do I do if my spouse does not make enough money to sponsor me for a green card?
Get a Joint Sponsor! You may be able to ask a family member or friend to help. That person must be a US citizen or green card holder and must live in the US. This person will be “joint sponsor.” The sponsor will need to complete Form I-864 and provide required documents to show his/her current income. USCIS requires the income from your spouse plus income from the sponsor to exceed 125% of the poverty line for Read More
US Citizenship after arrest for solicitation
A client was arrested for soliciting a prostitute when he was caught in a sting at a local massage parlor. He successfully defeated the criminal case against him by winning “pre-trial” probation and completing probation without any problems. This meant that he had no criminal conviction. However, all criminal issues must be disclosed on US naturalization applications, and even dismissed cases can cause someone to be Read More
How much money does my spouse need to make to sponsor me for a green card?
The USCIS stipulates that your spouse must earn 125% of the poverty threshold for your household size in order to sponsor your green card. Your household size will be your spouse, plus you, plus any dependents who live with you (children or other dependents listed on your spouse’s taxes), and anyone your spouse has previously sponsored for a green card. In 2022, for a family of two (you and your spouse), your spouse Read More
Do I need to tell USCIS about my past marriages and all of my children?
Yes! USCIS considers this information relevant to most family-based applications, and even if it does not seem relevant to an employment-based application, USCIS wants to know all of this information. Make sure that you have valid, final divorce decrees for all your divorces, even old ones. We have seen cases where clients filed for applications without divorce certificates from the 1970s, and USCIS wants the Read More
Can I get a green card if I’ve worked without authorization?
It depends! If you are applying for a green card based on your marriage to a US citizen, then past work without authorization is not a basis of ineligibility on its own. You may have worked as a babysitter or in a restaurant, and the employers didn’t ask for any proof of work eligibility. You may have even used someone else’s documents, and in some cases, that will not make you ineligible. The big problem comes if, Read More
What are “biometrics”? – Get Biometrics Appointment for Green Card with Cambridge Immigration Lawyer
“Biometrics” means a background check that USCIS runs when you apply for a USCIS benefit. With it, you’ll have your fingerprints stamped and your photo taken. Historically, all applicants had to appear for biometrics every time she filed any type of application, such as a work permit, TPS, or green card. Since COVID, USCIS has switched to waiving biometrics appointments for green cards if the applicant had USCIS Read More
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