Whether you are recently married or have been married for many years, the immigrant may be eligible to receive a Green Card. The process for each couple may look a little different, but there are some general processes and documentation that are the same for everyone.
Attorney Tim Jones has helped hundreds of couples through the Green Card process. With the help of his team, Attorney Jones compiles necessary information, documents, and forms to submit to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on your behalf.
Process for Getting a Green Card in Our Office
Each couple has different needs depending on their particular and unique circumstances. However, our general process for submitting the documents is as follows:
- Schedule a first-time consultation with Attorney Jones. During this consultation, you will have an opportunity to ask any question you may have about the process, so come prepared with questions! Additionally, Attorney Jones will also ask you and your spouse a variety of questions to know what kind of information we will need to provide in your Green Card application.
- You hire us! After you officially hire us, our team will start gathering the information we need to fill out the forms. Some of the main forms include the I-485 (or DS-260), I-864, and I-130. To learn more about each of these forms, read our article about marriage Green Card forms.
- You may need to fill out some information through an online portal and we will ask for copies of important documents such as birth certificates and passports. Our legal assistants will communicate with you often about what we need to submit to USCIS.
- Our team will compile all the completed forms and documents, then Attorney Jones will do a final review to ensure that all information is correct and filled out properly.
- Once everything is edited and finished, we will contact you to sign and review the documents so we can send them off for processing!
Even after we submit your Green Card application, we aren’t done! We want to ensure success in your case so we keep an eye on your case progress and we help with any issues that may arise before you receive your Green Card. Some examples of problems that we commonly handle during the Green Card processing include:
- Requests for Evidence (RFE). If USCIS feels that they need more information or documents, they will ask for additional evidence with an RFE letter. For example, if your form I-864 is a little complex, USCIS will often send out an RFE even when everything is appropriately filed the first time. We don’t charge extra to handle most RFEs, and we know how to respond to them appropriately. Check out our article about RFEs to learn more about this process.
- Interview coaching. Some people are very nervous if they are required to do an interview, so Attorney Jones helps coach and encourage his clients on what to do. We understand that these interviews can be a little scary or nerve-wracking, so we help you prepare for it by preparing ahead of time. We do this by preparing plenty of documentation of the marriage so you can have that evidence on hand when you go to your interview.
- Extraordinarily long wait times. If your case is taking longer than average to process, Attorney Jones can submit an inquiry. This helps us learn why it is taking longer than usual and it encourages USCIS to process your case more quickly.
Less Common Green Card Requests
We understand that each individual and each couple may have special circumstances. Some unique situations that we have handled in the past include:
- When the U.S. citizen has recently passed away
- When the case requires a waiver due to particular aspects of your situation
- When the couple doesn’t live together
- When the immigrant entered the U.S. illegally
- When the immigrant has a criminal history
- When the petitioning spouse is a Permanent Resident and not a U.S. citizen
- When there are other complicating factors
If you fall into one of these categories or have another unique situation, consult with Attorney Jones and he will let you know the best way to move forward to obtain a Green Card.
Our Clientele
We are very flexible and can handle cases remotely. This means that our clients come from all over the United States and all over the globe. Many of our clients reside in Southeastern Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, and Utah, but we don’t let geography stop us from helping with your case! We’ve represented clients from over 60 different countries who all have a variety of different backgrounds.
Attorney Jones frequently gives presentations on the campus of a local university about marriage Green Cards. Many international students who marry U.S. citizens seek us out for our efficient case-handling, experience, and affordable rates.
Contact Us Today!
If you are married or getting married to a U.S. citizen and you’re interested in obtaining Permanent Residency and receiving the perks that a Green Card can offer, contact our office today to schedule a consultation to see what we can do to help you!
