Here are 6 facts about the IR5 visa, an immigrant visa for parents of US Citizens, that should be considered BEFORE you apply. #1: The IR5 Visa is available to all qualified parents of US Citizens who wish to move to the US, without limit The IR5 visa is used when US Citizens wish to [...]
One of the most common complaints in immigration reform is that it is impossible to control unauthorized employment. On one hand, some employers hire workers whom they know are not authorized to work in the United States. On the other hand, some aliens obtain fraudulent documents to present to employers so that the employer will [...]
Despite an exciting summer and fall, when the wait for a green card for some family-based applicants had widdled down to less than a year, things continue to slide backward. Although immediate relatives of US citizens (i.e. parents, children and spouses) are immediately eligible to apply for a green card, other family members must wait [...]
One of the most generous aspects of the US immigration system is that US citizens who are over the age of 21 can help a foreign national mother or father obtain a green card, which gives the right to live and work in the US and is a path to US citizenship. Green card for [...]
US immigration has some pretty harsh rules when it comes to drug and alcohol use. Those who are seeking entry to the US, whether as a visitor or permanent immigrant, must meet strict guidelines for prior criminal drug history and prior drug or alcohol addiction. Even something as seemingly minor as taking one hit of [...]
I've been getting calls and emails recently from people who were lucky enough to win the US Department of State (DOS) green card lottery. However, once you win the DV 2011 visa lottery what comes next? What is DV 2011 Visa Lottery? The DV visa lottery, which is officially known as the diversity visa lottery, [...]
The US Citizenship and Immigration services (USCIS) recently announced that the US permanent resident green card will be redesigned to incorporate new security features. The green card redesign is necessary to deter immigration fraud. Green Card to become state of the art The new green card will use state of the art technology to prevent [...]
In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I write about a South Dakota priest from Ireland who recently got his green card. Father Cathal Gallagher arrived in America in 1996 to work as a chaplain in Minnesota. He moved to Sioux Falls and remained there for ten years. South Dakota Green Card Application While in South [...]
Being a US immigration lawyer is a little like being a therapist. Each day, I listen to people's immigration stories and offer advice, empathy and words of encouragement. Sometimes, however, I also have to offer a dose of reality. Many immigration clients think that their story is unique, that they are experiencing unusual hardship and [...]
The CDC has announced that female applicants for US green cards and immigrant visas will no longer be required to get the HPV vaccine, beginning December 14, 2009. The human papillomavirus vaccine will not longer be on the immunization list for legal permanent resident applicants. The HPV vaccine was added to the list of required [...]
