If you are planning to come to the U.S. or wish to stay in the country, an immigration attorney can be an immense help in dealing with bureaucracy. You may be wondering, however, exactly what a lawyer can assist you with. Here are four of the most common tasks that immigration attorneys help their clients with.
Applications, Renewals, and Changes
Filing for a visa is one of the basic functions a lawyer in this field handles. Many cases require significant amounts of supporting documentation. For example, an applicant for a work visa may have to show that their education matches America's economic needs. Several types of visas also require sponsorship from a U.S.-based company and evidence that the hiring does not displace an American worker.
Renewals of expiring visas are common jobs for an immigration attorney, too. Similarly, many people may choose to change their visa, such as a temporary worker seeking permanent resident status.
Court Appearances
A variety of types of inquiries require parties to appear before courts. Deportation hearings are among the most dire kinds of court appearances, and it's essential that you make an appearance at the initial hearing to prove to the court that you haven't fled. In dealing with subsequent procedural hearings, your immigration attorney may be able to appear on your behalf. Never assume you can do this, though. Talk with your lawyer before every hearing to confirm whether your presence is required.
Navigating the Visa System
Another important job is matching an immigrant's situation to the visa that best serves their interests. For example, someone who wants to remain in the U.S. indefinitely may want to explore options like permanent residency, an investor visa, or even a marriage-based green card, depending on their circumstances. A person who needs to be in the U.S. for a job, for example, probably would consider each of those options overkill. The most obvious exception would be if their work efforts required them to stay longer than 6 years. Likewise, some unsponsored workers might have to use more creative processes, such as applying for special talent visas.
Representing Clients
Many elements of the process have to be handled in ways that don't permit the prospective immigrant to be present. Many work visa rules, for example, require people to leave the country and reapply. Under such circumstances, you may be best served by having an immigration attorney serve as your representative in your absence.
Share31 January 2020
Immigration policies can be tough to navigate. It can seem that there are different policies and procedures for every situation, and it can be tough to know which situation applies to you. That's where hiring an immigration attorney can come in handy. They can ensure you fill out the proper paper work, submit it to the correct offices, and do everything in the proper order. We know immigration law can be confusing, but we're here to help shed a little light on the topic. On this website, we've collected articles to inform you about this type of law and the attorneys who practice it.