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Top Reasons a Green Card is Denied | Immigration Attorney Mario Godoy

Top Reasons a Green Card is Denied

The U.S. government can deny a green card application ( lawful permanent resident – LPR) if they determine that the individual who is applying for an immigrant visa is “inadmissible” to the United States. An application for a green card is denied for many reasons such as an error, inadmissibility due to health, a criminal history or lack of funds.

Top 9 Reasons a Green Card is Denied

1. Health Conditions
A medical exam performed by a government-approved doctor is required for admission as a lawful permanent resident. Your green card can be denied if you have a communicable disease, you don’t provide documentation of the required vaccinations, you are a drug abuser or addict, or you have a physical or mental disorder that is a threat to yourself or others.

2. Criminal Conduct
If you have been convicted of certain types of crimes your green card could be denied for moral turpitude. Crimes qualifying for inadmissibility include drug trafficking, prostitution, commercialized vice, money laundering and fraud.

3. Issues of National Security
A green card can be denied to someone who engages in terrorist activities, is a current or former member or involved in Nazi or totalitarian parties or genocide.

4. Fraud or Misrepresentation 
Deliberately providing incorrect information on your green card application such as incorrect employment or listing the wrong address is considered fraud and is a cause for your green card to be denied.

5. Likelihood the Applicant Will Become a Drain on Public Resources 
If you cannot support yourself and you are likely to rely on government health and assistance benefits for financial support in the U.S., you can be denied a green card.

6. Prior Removals or Unlawful Presence 
If you are in the United States illegally or you have been previously deported from the U.S. your green card application can be denied.

7. Incomplete Application 
It’s important that all parts of a green card application be submitted on time including application forms, required documentation and filing fees. Incomplete applications are a cause for green card denial.

8. Missing Application Deadlines 
If you miss application appointments and interviews or fail to submit application documentation within the required timeframe, your green card application can be denied.

9. Mistakes Made During the Application Process 
Making an error on your application due to language difficulty or make a mistake such as accidentally entering a wrong birth date your application can be denied.

Errors and mistakes on green card applications can be costly – and result in denial. In some cases, the person deemed inadmissible may be able to obtain a waiver or meet an exception written into the immigration laws. For example, individuals who are victims of trafficking may not be treated as inadmissible even if they have a great likelihood of becoming a public charge. If you filed to adjust status and were denied, you may be eligible to file Form I-290B to appeal.

For a consultation to learn how an experienced immigration attorney can help you in the process of applying for a green card -LPR status – call Godoy Law Office. A lawyer can help you fully understand the obstacles you may face and create a plan to overcome them.

Mario Godoy
Mario Godoy
Immigration Lawyer and Illinois Crimmigration Attorney

Immigration Attorney Mario Godoy has years of experience guiding clients with immigration issues through the immigration process along with guiding clients through the criminal case. Godoy focuses on family-based immigration law, business immigration law, removal defense, and criminal defense representation of immigrants. A criminal charge or conviction can be devastating to your immigration case. With over a decade of immigration law experience and memories of family members who were deported due to bad legal advice, Godoy is committed to helping other immigrant families receive the legal justice they deserve. As a legal entrepreneur who practices immigration law, criminal law, estate and probate law, and running two successful law firms, Mario Godoy understands the importance of keeping families together and making a home and future in America.

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