Is USCIS Closed? USCIS offices and Application Support Center Offices closed starting today through 4/1/2020. This means that all "green card"/adjustment of status interviews, InfoMod USCIS (formerly InfoPass) appointments, citizenship interviews, and biometrics interviews scheduled between 3/18 and 4/1 are closed. USCIS states that it will send de-schedule and re-schedule notices to applicants. See USCIS.gov for Read More
Don’t Lie: An Immigration Golden Rule
The immigration process can be stressful and frustrating. It can be tempting to lie on an application or during an immigration interview to get it over with and keep the process “less complicated”. You may even know people who have lied and then successfully obtained their green card and even US citizenship. But lying on an immigration application, or to an immigration officer, is a bad idea. Please don't do Read More
You Married a US Citizen. Now, document your life together and get a green card!
Congratulations on your marriage! Now that you’ve married a U.S. citizen, you’re probably wondering what comes next. U.S. citizens can apply for a foreign-born spouse to move to, or remain in, the U.S. to live permanently. Obtaining a marriage green card is a three-step process. Apply for a “marriage-based” immigrant visa by establishing your marital relationship Apply for your green card Attend the green card Read More
USCIS Obtains “Admissions” to Marijuana Use during USCIS Interviews
Use, possession, sale and other activities relating to marijuana/cannabis are legal in many states in the United States and in other places worldwide. However, all marijuana activities (with very limited scientific research exceptions) are illegal under US federal law and in turn under US immigration law. Non-US citizens using marijuana and/or involved in legal cannabis activities throughout the US put themselves Read More
Form I-944 Financial Information Required for Most Green Card Applications from within the US
As of February 24, 2020, USCIS requires that all Form I-485 Application for Adjustment of Status ("green card applications") be accompanied by Form I-944 Declaration of Self-Sufficiency. This form requires a burdensome amount of financial documents from the US citizen or LPR petitoner and from the intending immigrant. Also, this inquiry goes well outside the prior scope of financial inquiry of whether the US citizen Read More
Does a criminal record mean that I can never obtain any immigration benefit?
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
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