Unfortunately for those in Lombard seeking to obtain a “Green Card” demonstrating their status as a lawful permanent resident (LPR) of the United States, the process of gaining LPR status can be extremely difficult. There are many steps in the process, many requirements that must be fulfilled, and many deadlines that must be met or an application will be denied.
Obstacles to obtaining LPR status in Lombard can be thought of in three categories — lack of ability to meet eligibility category requirements, circumstances that block those who are otherwise nominally eligible, and an inability or unwillingness to fulfill the application procedures. A well-versed attorney can further explain these obstacles and can help you navigate them.
Although the U.S. government grants permanent immigrant visas giving LPR status based on several different factors, most immigrant visas are granted based on connection to the U.S. through employment or family connection. There are five categories of family-based immigration visas. Immediate family members of U.S. citizens, including spouses, minor children (including those about to be adopted) and parents, are granted first preference. The number of immigration visas granted in this category is not subject to numerical limits each year.
The number of visas granted in other family categories is limited annually by category and by country, so some applicants must wait a long time for their applications to be considered. Other family members who are eligible for family-based immigration visas to obtain LPR status include unmarried children of citizens, spouses and unmarried children of LPRs, married children of citizens, and siblings of citizens.
If an applicant lacks a close family relation who is a citizen or LPR, the applicant may be eligible for LPR status on the basis of employment. In most cases, this requires an offer of a job from a sponsoring employer who has fulfilled requirements with the U.S. Department of Labor. Therefore, unless the applicant has extraordinary skills and internationally recognized abilities in a field such as athletics, science, or the arts, the lack of a job offer would be an obstacle to obtaining LPR status on the basis of employment.
U.S. law establishes a number of factors that can cause an applicant who would otherwise qualify for an immigrant visa to be considered “inadmissible” to the country. A finding that one of these preventative factors applies would prevent that Lombard applicant from obtaining LPR status. Factors that can cause a person to be treated as inadmissible include:
In some cases, the person deemed inadmissible may be able to obtain a waiver or meet an exception written into the law. For example, in many situations, individuals who are victims of trafficking may not be treated as inadmissible even if they have a great likelihood of becoming a public charge.
U.S. immigration law is complex, and procedures can be difficult to understand, particularly for those not entirely fluent in the English language. Therefore, many applicants who are otherwise eligible to obtain LPR status are prevented from doing so because of the inability to complete the application process or mistakes made during the process.
For that reason, many applicants find it advantageous to work with an experienced immigration attorney to ensure that requirements are properly fulfilled, and applications are filled out and documented in the most advantageous manner.
Many will find it extremely difficult to overcome the obstacles to obtaining LPR status in Lombard. But for many others, assistance from a dedicated immigration lawyer who understands the process of obtaining a permanent visa can make all the difference.
For a consultation to learn how a passionate attorney’s experience can help you in the process of applying for LPR status, contact us today. A lawyer can help you fully understand the obstacles you may face and create a plan to overcome them.
