Even if you have been living in the United States for several years without issue, that does not mean your immigration status right now is the same as it was when you first arrived here. In fact, since U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) regularly issues visas with built-in expiration dates and requires you to renew Green Cards, your status may have changed.
Unfortunately, establishing exactly what your current status is as USCIS and federal immigration authorities determine it can be harder in practice than many people expect, and so can figuring out whether a claim you have filed with USCIS is progressing at a reasonable pace. If you need help with determining immigration status in Union City in either of these contexts, an immigration attorney from our team at the Law Office of Lloyd E. Bennett Esq., P.C., can provide custom-tailored guidance and legal support.
If you were born in United States territory or at least one of your parents held U.S. citizenship when you were born, you may automatically hold U.S. citizenship with an irrevocable right to live here legally. You may also qualify as a citizen if USCIS approved your application for naturalization after you lived here for a certain period as a legal permanent resident with a Green Card and met all other requirements. This also applies if you were under 18 when your parent(s) completed this naturalization process.
If you are not a U.S. citizen in either of these ways, you must obtain express permission from USCIS to remain in the U.S. legally. This permission can take the form of a short-term non-immigrant visa that has not yet reached its expiration date, an immigrant visa that expires upon completion of the legal permanent residence application process, or a Green Card that establishes lawful permanent residence. For individuals in Union City seeking clarity, assessing immigration status often requires careful review of documentation and guidance from an experienced immigration lawyer. If you do not have citizenship, a valid Green Card, or a valid visa that USCIS issued, you likely do not have lawful immigration status unless you meet certain special criteria, which our immigration lawyer can explain in more detail.
If you have submitted an application, petition, or request to USCIS and want to know its status, you can check it by entering your USCIS receipt number into the agency’s online portal. If you want to determine the status of a visa application, you can do that through the Department of State’s online portal.
With certain immigration cases and with appeals of USCIS rejections, you can check your current status through the Automated Case Information System, which the Executive Office for Immigration Review oversees. You can also get a rough estimate of average USCIS processing times for cases like yours by using this online tool. As each case is unique, establishing an immigration status in Union City often requires both online tools and professional guidance.
Immigration law in the U.S can be extremely hard to navigate, even if you are confident in your current immigration status. Fortunately, compassionate legal counsel can help you establish your current status, as well as stabilize your residence in the U.S. for the foreseeable future.
Working with the Law Office of Lloyd E. Bennett Esq., P.C., will dramatically improve your chances of achieving a favorable outcome in your immigration proceedings. Contact us today to set up a confidential consultation and get assistance with determining immigration status in Union City.
(201) 330-8883