Do you desire to get a green card in Texas? You are not alone. This is the life dream of many immigrants like you. But, sometimes, with this dream comes despair due to the complex US green card process. Understanding the green card process in its entirety is the highest need. This will allow you to live with your family members altogether, get an extension of work life, or new opportunities. This is why you should use the services of a green card lawyer in Texas. This makes the process easier, simpler, and well-planned.
This post takes you through it all, step by step, all about green card lawyers in Texas—who they are, why in the world you would ever need to have to go out and hire one of them, how to obtain a green card, what to look out for, and your most common questions.
Let’s get started!
The role of the green card lawyers in Texas:
Green card lawyers are lawyers who act on behalf of alien nationals and dependents to become more well-informed and educated regarding United States immigration. They assist:
- In checking for eligibility for a Green Card.
- In filling up and filing forms.
- In preparing supporting documents.
- In filling up interviewing forms.
- In answering requests for evidence.
- Appealing on their behalf after denial.
When to hire the services of a green card lawyer in Texas
You can employ the services of a green card lawyer in Texas if:
- You are not sure if you qualify.
- Your case is not straightforward (i.e., some type of crime in your history or previous visa problems).
- You have been rejected each time.
- You have had issues with forms.
- You don’t want to make costly mistakes.
Knowing the green card process in Texas
- Step 1: Check if you are eligible.
There are several methods to obtain a green card, and a few of them are:
- Family sponsorship (parent, spouse, child, or brother or sister of US legal permanent resident or citizen).
- Employment (job offer, investment, or exceptional ability).
- Special immigrant classes (e.g., religious worker or crime victim).
Your green card lawyers in Flower Mound, Texas, will advise you on how you choose the class that will suit you the best, and what forms you will submit.
- Step 2: Petition using the right option.
It starts with a majority petition.
- Family-based: Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative).
- Employment-based: Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker).
- Others have other forms.
Petitioning is normally conducted by the employer or immediate family, but you are petitioning individually.
- Step 3: Wait for visa availability.
All the applications that they will have available to you will be ones whose total for the year has been exceeded. Therefore, you will have to wait until the figure is current, so you are eligible for a visa.
The US citizens’ immediate relatives will not typically have to wait, but all the rest of the US citizens’ family members will have to wait months or even years.
- Step 4: Apply for the green card.
If you are in the US, you will file Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status). If you are outside the US, you will go through consular processing at a US embassy or consulate.
- Step 5: Attend biometrics appointment.
You will be scheduled for a biometrics appointment to provide fingerprints, a photo, and a signature. This helps the government verify your identity and conduct background checks.
- Step 6: Prepare and attend the interview.
You will be interviewed sitting and by a US Citizenship and Immigration Services officer. You will be read your petition and questioned because they will try to ensure that you qualify.
- Step 7: Receive the decision.
You will be informed of the outcome after an interview. A green card is issued to you in case of approval. Appeal or reapply through a green card lawyer in Irving, Texas, if you get a denial.
What can green card lawyers in Texas do?
- Knowledge and skills.
Green card lawyers in Fort Worth, Texas, understand the law, procedure, and forms. They can foresee danger, and they can advise you not to get in trouble.
- Personal counseling.
Every immigration case is different. A green card lawyer in Fort Worth, Texas, will work your case through to obtain the optimal result possible.
- Advisor when you need it.
The green card process can be frustrating and infuriating. Having somebody to track down and find someone who is experienced in the process can be a blessing.
Most often committed green card mistakes to avoid
- Incorrect class of eligibility.
There is just one class for a single green card requirement. Miscounting of classes will place you behind schedule or cause a denial of your application.
- Partly or wrong form filing.
Inaccurate or incomplete information received is the cause of most denial. Talk with a green card lawyer in Irving, Texas, before filing.
- Cooperation with deadlines.
Immigration Deadlines should not be taken lightly. Missing a deadline can put you months or years behind.
- Filing inconsistent data.
Questions and answers must be harmonious with each other. Rejection and distrust would be the outcome of there not being harmony in your application. Lack of harmony would produce rejection and distrust.
- Failure to present required documents.
Failure to present the required documents would make your application worthless. Always provide what USCIS requests. A green card lawyer in Flower Mound, Texas, can help you with this.
- Hiring unlicensed consultants or notaries.
Unlicensed agents are the only people who can be sure to give you bad legal advice. Unlicensed agents may cost you thousands of dollars in error and put you in jail or deportation proceedings, or prosecution for fraud charges.
Timeframe: What to expect
- Family-sponsored green cards: 10–23 months in Texas, by category and backlog.
- Labor-sponsored green cards: Greatly variable by category, nationality, and annual quota.
- Other forms: Incremental or sudden, depending on requirements.
Benefits of green card holder status
- Work and reside anywhere in the United States.
- Federal benefits like Social Security and educational benefits (upon achievement).
- Greater mobility within the United States (partially restricted).
- You can be a United States citizen at the earliest under the law of residence.
- Can sponsor relatives so that they, in turn, can seek green cards.
Tips for passing the green card interview
- Always be honest. In your answers to questions, be honest in as simple and as direct a manner as possible.
- What to bring with you. Take originals and copies of what you have accomplished, and other relevant documents.
- Rehearse your answers. Sit down and read through your application so that questions can be posed to you about your experience and capability.
- Get there early, dressed neatly. You will make a first impression.
- You should use an interpreter if you are not too familiar with the English language. In case your English is not good, you can arrange for a registered interpreter.
- Be polite. The officer is just doing his job; be polite, and your case is won.
How to spot the right green card lawyers in Texas?
- Validate credentials. Hire a green card lawyer in Irving, Texas who is legally qualified to offer law practice in Texas and is are immigration law specialist.
- Endorsements and rankings. Get ones with high ratings from past clients who have utilized the service.
- Get an experienced one who has dealt with a case like yours.
- Prepaid payment. It is good that you know ahead what you would pay and when you would pay for their services.
- Honest communication. Your green card lawyers in Flower Mound, Texas, should be transparent to you and disclose things to you.
Get help!
A US green card is an investment, a master key among keys unlocking doors of opportunity on the American and all Texas fronts.
It is too much to attempt it all yourself. This is why our green card lawyers in Texas at Gehi and Associates are here to help you. Our green card lawyers in Texas can guide you through, navigate you around, and walk you into your brighter tomorrow.
Wait no longer, contact us today!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
- Do I necessarily need to hire a green card lawyer in Texas?
Though you can do it legally by yourself, generally, you are better off having someone to represent you. This is especially so if you have a complex case or have had some previous issues.
- How much do you pay a green card lawyer to represent you legally to obtain a green card in Texas?
The fees paid to green card lawyers are very negotiable, depending on the complexity of your case and the experience level of your green card lawyer. Always ask for an open fee agreement before signing it.
- What is the green card processing timeline in Texas?
Processing will be 10 to 23 months for many family cases, but it will depend on your case.
- What causes most green card application denials?
The common reasons for green card application denial are not filing or wrong filing, no forms, being behind schedule, and inconsistency of your petition.
- Do I work after a green card application?
You may inquire about the waiting period for the work authorization (work permit) for your application.
- What should I bring to the green card interview?
Bring your original documents and extra copies, your notice of appointment, your photo ID, and anything else you have on file.
- What if my green card application is denied?
You can appeal or reapply based on why you are denied. You will have a green card lawyer in Fort Worth, Texas, to advise you on what to do.
- Is a green card more than just allowing one to work and live in America?
Yes! The person possessing a green card is freer, can gain access to some federal benefits, can be a US citizen, and maybe can sponsor other relatives later.
