In U.S. immigration law, voluntary departure is a form of relief that a noncitizen can request during a removal (deportation) hearing before an Immigration Judge. Sometimes migrants will have the opportunity to choose between one and the other. What you decide triggers different consequences that have a lasting impact on your decisions. Defining a Voluntary Departure Voluntary departure allows a…
A removal hearing in immigration law refers to a court proceeding where an immigration judge decides whether an individual should be removed (deported) from the U.S. or allowed to stay. This hearing is part of a removal proceeding, which happens when the U.S. government believes you are in the country unlawfully or have violated immigration laws (such as overstaying a…
Many immigrants have questions about Criminal Charges and Immigration today. This is especially true in the wake of increasing government focus on immigration laws in the US. With this in mind, it is important to know how criminal convictions can and will affect immigration. Criminal Convictions and Immigration Status There are two categories of crimes in US criminal law. Depending…
Marriage and Fiance Visa Process is tricky but paying close attention to the details helps get the process done. Each year the US Department of State provides approximately 30,000 couples with a marriage visa. These are professionally the K-1 Visa. K-1, or a marriage visa, is a requirement for couples to marry in which one person is a non-citizen of…
President Obama announced sweeping changes to the immigration application process on November 20, 2014. These changes are not statutes. Rather, they are executive actions. Thus, they garnered a lot of criticism by the Republican-led Congress. As part of his address regarding immigration application process and reform, President Obama promised to tighten enforcement of the borders, focus resources on deporting immigrants…
A green card is a resident visa. It’s name is after the color of the identification card that issues to aliens. The green card allows foreign citizens to live and work in the U.S. lawfully. The official name for the green card is Form I-551. If you are not eligible for U.S. citizenship but you wish to permanently reside in…
Our Tulsa immigration help people around the world want to visit or live in the United States. The United States offers individuals countless opportunities to citizens and non-citizens alike. Whether you want to come to the United States to visit or live permanently, there are procedures you must follow. These comply with immigration laws. If you need information regarding entering…
ICE holds involving drug possession in Tulsa can have crippling effects on your family. If you’re not a U.S. citizen and suffer an arrest for a criminal offense, the potential consequences for you can be particularly devastating. Many times the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency will place an ICE hold on those under arrest and have no documentation that…
Immigration and Bankruptcy in Oklahoma can go together. Bankruptcy relief is available for U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and undocumented immigrants alike. Often undocumented immigrants choose not to seek relief under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code for one reason or another. However, in order to better decide whether bankruptcy is the best option, you should speak with an attorney familiar with…
Deferred Action Visa and Childhood arrival program is here. Many young undocumented immigrants welcomed plans for the Deferred Action Visa for Childhood Arrivals program. This program was a temporary reprieve from the threat of removal (formerly “deportation”). The program offers benefits for those brought to the U.S. by their parents as children. However, the protection of the program has limits. The program has…
Around two million immigrants reside in the U.S. They are eligible for the Developmental, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act). In the summer of 2012, President Obama initiated a program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). It provides deferred action to certain immigrants that: Were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012; Came to the…
Federal Income Taxes and Immigration Status go hand in hand. Filing both federal and state income taxes can greatly impact your possibilities of becoming a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) or U.S. citizen. The law requires all immigrants (documented or undocumented) to follow the same tax laws as other LPRs and U.S. citizens. You must report your income, depending on how…
Our Tulsa Fiance Visa Lawyers can help you get your family visa. To obtain a K-1 visa, a U.S. citizen must file a Petition for Relative or Fiancé(e) (I-129F), with the USCIS. The USCIS will then send the approved Petition to the American Embassy where the fiancé(e) will apply for his or her visa. The fiancé(e) visa petition is valid…
On January 3, 2013, the USCIS published the rule on the unlawful presence waiver (I-601A). Currently, immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who have accrued a certain period of unlawful presence in the United States have to leave the U.S. as part of the legal immigration process. Further, they cannot legally return to the U.S. for as long as 3 to 10 years. The new rule would streamline the…
A Family Visa in Oklahoma allows you to bring family members to the Unitesd States legally. To promote family unity, U.S. immigration law permits citizens and lawful permanent residents (sponsors) to petition for certain qualified relatives (beneficiaries) to come and live permanently in the United States. There are two basic groups of family-based visas that we can help you with…
The United States welcomes thousands of foreign workers in multiple occupations or employment categories every year. All foreign workers must obtain a work visa or permission to work legally in the U.S. Each employment category for admission has different requirements, conditions and authorized periods of stay. H-1B Work Visas: H-1B work visa is one of the more popular and favorable…