Adjustment of Status Attorney San Francisco

Have you applied for permanent residency in San Francisco? If so, there’s another step to the process you may not know. Since you’ve filed for a green card, you obviously want to remain in the United States. However, without filing for an adjustment of status, you could unknowingly be putting your immigration status at risk. You want to protect your rights, but maybe you don’t know how to do so.

MyImmigration can help ensure you don’t lose your right to stay in the country.

Unless you’re an expert in immigration law, knowing exactly what to do and how to do it when dealing with USCIS can be both confusing and frustrating. This is of utmost importance when protecting your immigration status after filing for a green card.

Let us assist you with filing for an adjustment of status to ensure that your current immigration status is safe and secure.

What Does Adjustment of Status Mean?

Individuals who are in the United States on a visa who apply for permanent residency, in most cases, will need to file for an adjustment of status. Unfortunately, the process for getting a green card is timely and could take well over a year. During that time, an individual’s visa status could change or expire; when that happens, they’ll need to leave the country. However, filing for an adjustment of status “stops the clock” on their visa’s timeframe and allows them to remain legally in the country while waiting for their residency application to be processed.

Who Needs to File for an Adjustment of Status?

There are a few different scenarios where one would need to file for an adjustment of status. Each scenario will need to be handled differently, and this is where a lot of the confusion about how this is done comes into play. Here’s a look at some different scenarios and how each one is handled.

Employment-Based Green Cards

Individuals seeking employment-based residency need to work together with their employer.

The employer or business needs to file Form I-140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker).
The immigrant employee will file Form I-485 (Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) after Form 1-140 has been approved.

Immediate Relatives of United States Citizens

The parents, spouses, and children of United States citizens who’ve applied for a green card must file the following forms:

First, the sponsoring family member should file Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative).
Then, the immigrant must file Form I-485 (Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status).

If the immigrant filing for permanent residency is within the United States, both forms can be submitted at the same time.

K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa Holders

Anyone who has entered the United States on a K-1 visa must adjust their status to stay in the country while waiting for their green card approval.

First, the U.S. citizen fiancé(e) files Form I-129F (Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)) to sponsor their foreign romantic partner for the purpose of marriage.
Once the foreign fiancé(e) enters the U.S. and marries the U.S. citizen within 90 days, they can then file Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status) and remain legally in the country.

Immigration Requirements Can Be Confusing

It can be tricky to know when and how to file for an adjustment of status, and with each immigration scenario requiring different steps, this just adds to the confusion. Filing incorrectly or not in the proper sequence can cause problems and headaches.

Are you:

Unsure how to file for an adjustment of status?
Confused about the differences between Form I-485 and Form I-130?
Have a criminal record that’s causing you U.S. immigration problems?
Having issues applying for a green card?

MyImmigration can ease your worries and develop a winning plan to meet your immigration challenges and goals.

Contact a MyImmigration San Francisco Adjustment of Status Attorney Today

Don’t risk losing your immigration status; contact an adjustment of status lawyer. Our compassionate team of immigration experts and our proprietary software are all you need to reach your goals and overcome your obstacles.