In today’s article here on the Nelson and Associates immigration law blog, we’re going to be talking a little bit about how an immigration lawyer in California can help you!
Immigration Lawyer in California: How An Attorney Can Help You
There are many incidences when an immigration lawyer in California can assist you with immigration needs, let’s take a look at some of these situations…
You Are Coming to Work Temporarily in the U.S.
If you are a non-U.S. citizen with graduate-level education in a specialized field of employment and are seeking to come to work in the United States but for a limited amount of time to work, you need to have an H-B1 visa. This type of visa is not right for you if you are seeking permanent residence right off the bat, but an immigration attorney can help you to obtain an H-B1 visa for up to 3 years and can also help you to renew that visa so that you are permitted to stay in the U.S. for up to six years.
You’ve Made a Decision to Stay
If you got the help of an immigration attorney to obtain an H-B1 visa but after you have lived and worked in the U.S. for a six-year period on a valid H-B1 visa, you want to seek permanent residence in the U.S, your attorney can help with this too. They will work with you to file for your permanent residence, but they can only do this if you still have a valid H-B1 visa, so don’t let this run out before you start working towards getting your permanent residence!
You Are a Foreign Student Seeking Education in the United States
If you are a foreign student who is going to be studying in the United States at a U.S. college or higher learning institution, you must have the correct paperwork to be permitted entry into the country. This paperwork is done for something referred to as a “student visa“. There are various types of student visas for different types of situations, and this is where an immigration lawyer can be very helpful. Your attorney can help you to apply for the right type of visa as well as to understand what limitations that visa has. Another great benefit of having an attorney on your side is that they can ensure that you meet any required deadlines!
You Came to Work in the U.S. And Your Wife Will Be Coming to Live With You Shortly
An immigration lawyer will be able to assist you with what is called “family visas”. If you came to the United States to become a permanent resident and work in the country and you went through the green card process and now want to bring your wife to live in the U.S. with you, you must apply for a family visa. There are multiple types of family visa options and your attorney will point you in the right direction…in this case, the IR-1 or spousal visa. You will also have the ear of your attorney throughout the application process so if your wife does encounter any problems with the immigration process, you will have a resource for help!
You and Your Spouse Are American Citizens and Are Adopting an Orphaned Child From Another Country
If you and your spouse are adopting an orphaned child from another country, you will need to obtain a visa in order for that child to live in the United States with you legally. In this situation, you will, once again, be applying for an “immediate relative” visa. Unlike the example above, however, you will be applying for an IR-4 visa which is intended for orphaned children who are to be adopted by an American citizen. Your lawyer will be able to walk you through this visa process and ensure that you know what is required of you as the parent of a non-United States citizen in terms of applying for citizenship/naturalization at a later date. This will be particularly helpful because of the amount of confusion that surrounds general immigration law as well as the added confusion of adoption – you will need someone experienced on your side to make sure that all of your T’s are crossed and I’s are dotted!
You Are a Business Owner Seeking to Employ a Foreign Resident and Bring Them to the U.S. to Work
If you run a business and are interested in bringing an employee from another country to the U.S. so that they can work for you, you are going to have to follow a specific protocol and ensure that everything is properly in place before bringing this employee into the country. Your lawyer will walk you through the legal requirements of hiring a foreign resident as well as your rights as a U.S employer hiring a foreign resident and expectations of you in your workplace. Things can get quite tricky when it comes to a business hiring foreign residents, it’s particularly important that everything is JUST SO and so it is mandatory for you to work alongside a reputable and experienced lawyer.
Are You in Need of An Immigration Lawyer in California?
If you are in need of an immigration attorney in California in or around Pasadena, Nelson and Associates can help! To set up your first consultation, just give us a call today at 626-683-3451 and let us know how we can help you and we’ll set up an appointment at a time that’s convenient for you!
