If you’re an immigrant who has ever been arrested, summonsed to court, admitted to criminal activity, or convicted of certain criminal offenses, you must discuss your legal history with an immigration attorney before submitting any paperwork to any US government agency or attending any interview or hearing. A broad category of crimes can render an individual ‘inadmissible’ to the United States and can trigger Read More
Will my criminal history make me ineligible for immigration benefits?
Having a criminal record can affect your ability to receive immigration benefits, whether you’re seeking a temporary visa, green card, or an adjustment of status. But under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) convictions for certain crimes, or admissions to committing certain crimes, will automatically make you “inadmissible” to the United States. If you’ve been convicted of or admitted to any of these crimes, Read More
Marijuana and Green Card Applications
US immigration laws prohibit the issuance of nonimmigrant or immigrant visas to anyone who has been convicted of or admits to the essential elements of federal controlled substances crimes. Generally, an admission to a drug crime happens in court as part of a plea or, in Massachusetts, a "continued without a finding." However, USCIS interviews can be the site of "admissions" to federal controlled substances Read More
What Kinds of Criminal Issues Will Not Hurt My Immigration Case?
Few criminal issues hold zero risk of affecting your immigration case. However, a criminal history does not necessarily render you inadmissible, or in other words, ineligible for visas and/or a green card to the US. Certain criminal offenses pose much less risk to your case than others. Traffic violations A basic traffic violation might not hurt your immigration case, but it depends on the nature of the Read More
Disclosing Criminal Histories on Immigration Applications: What You Should Know
The United States requires all applicants for immigration benefits to disclose information about their criminal history, whether applying for a visa, green card, or U.S. citizenship. If you have a criminal record, this can be worrying. If you have any criminal history--even if you were never arrested nor convicted of anything--you should consult with an attorney about the immigration consequences of your criminal Read More
AILA Summary of Changes to Public Charge Rule
AILA published a summary of the changes to the public charge rules at the various agencies, as recently affected by the unblocking of the hold on implementation of Trump's horrible new public charge rules. Read More
Increased Processing Times of Immigration Applications Under the Trump Administration
Increased Processing Times of Immigration Applications Under the Trump Administration Why is my immigration application taking so long? Under the Trump administration, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has significantly lengthened the processing time of immigrant applications, creating a backlog of millions of applications. These delays impact the lives of countless people seeking Read More
Become a US Citizen. Find Help on Citizenship Day!
There is no better time to become a US citizen as we approach a critical presidential election in November 2020. In the Boston area, USCIS processes N-400 Applications for Naturalization (citizenship) in about five months. This means that if you apply soon (ex., January or February 2020), there is a great chance that you will be able to VOTE in the November 2020 election. You can hire an attorney to represent you Read More
Decreased Communication and Negotiation with the Government Under the Trump Administration
Decreased Communication and Negotiation with the Government Under the Trump Administration To those paying attention, it is clear that the Trump administration is working hard to decrease legal immigration to the United States. The applicant backlog at the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) currently stands at around 2.4 million–a figure higher than it has been since 2013. While Read More
Increase in Requests for Evidence Under the Trump Administration
Increase in Requests for Evidence Under the Trump Administration You completed your application for an H-1B visa, marriage-based green card, or another immigration petition. Now you’ve received a “Request for Evidence” from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Your stomach might be sinking, but stay calm. The request doesn’t necessarily mean that the USCIS will deny your Read More
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