Applying for Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) Status in Birmingham

Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status is the proper name for a Green Card. Acquiring a Green Card is a big step on the path toward U.S. citizenship. Permanent residents can travel internationally without seeking a visa to reenter the U.S. They can work here legally and sponsor relatives to join them.

Obtaining a Green Card is a slow and complex process with many potential pitfalls. If you are applying for Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status in Birmingham, consult a local green card attorney. A legal professional could guide you through the process and help you avoid mistakes or omissions that might cause delays.

How to Know if You are Eligible to Apply for LPR Status

Only some people who enter the United States can apply for a Green Card. Refugees and asylum seekers may apply for a Green Card if they have been in the U.S. for at least one year. People who enter without proper documentation are never eligible to apply. They must leave the country and reenter legally before they can apply for LPR status.

The EB series of employment visas allow holders to apply for LPR status, as does the EB-5 investor visa. If someone already has a Green Card, their spouse and unmarried children under 21 may apply for one. U.S. citizens can sponsor their parents, spouse, and unmarried children under 21 for a Green Card. These criteria might seem confusing and nuanced, but a Birmingham attorney could help a person understand whether their current immigration status allows them to pursue a Green Card.

Every year the U.S. holds a lottery allowing 50,000 citizens of countries with low U.S. immigration rates to win a chance to apply for entry under the Diversity Visa program. Applicants for this program must have at least a high school education, two years of work experience, and hold a passport from their native country allowing international travel. Individuals selected to apply through the Diversity Visa program must complete the same steps as other Green Card applicants.

Seeking a Status Adjustment

People who are already in the United States legally and whose immigration status allows them to apply for a Green Card must seek a “status adjustment.” They request U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to change their status from visa holder to Legal Permanent Resident (LPR).

USCIS requires different forms from the sponsor depending on the category of visa the applicant currently holds. A knowledgeable lawyer in Birmingham could ensure the sponsor’s petition, financial support forms, and other relevant paperwork are all accurate and complete.

Any applicant currently residing outside the U.S. must wait for USCIS to approve their sponsor’s petition before submitting their application. Once the petition is approved, the foreign national could apply to the National Visa Center which will send the applicant a visa package. The applicant must submit their forms to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their country of residence and go through the interview process overseas.

Preparing for the Interview

After submitting all their documents, applicants for status adjustment must undergo an in-person interview. It could take a year or more between USCIS accepting a complete application and the scheduled interview.

Applicants should use that time to collect all the documents they will need to support their change in status. The interviewing agent’s focus depends on the basis of the individual’s application. For example, and applicant who holds an investor visa is likely to field different questions that an applicant whose basis for immigration is marriage to a U.S. citizen.

A Birmingham attorney could help the applicant compile the necessary documents. Our legal team could then help the applicant prepare for the interview by anticipating the likely focus of the agent’s questions. Most importantly, a legal professional could then accompany the applicant to the interview to protect the foreign national’s rights.

Discuss Applying for Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) Status in Birmingham with Our Team

A Green Card confers significant benefits, and the United States is selective about who may apply and even more selective about who may receive one. You improve your chances if you work with an experienced attorney when applying for Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status in Birmingham.

The stakes are too high, and the process too lengthy to risk rejection due to a preventable error or misjudgment. Contact a local immigration attorney today.