As immigration lawyers in California, we help many clients through a variety of legal situations, however, you may be wondering what your immigration lawyer might be doing for you specifically. That’s why today we’re going to take a closer look at what your immigration attorney is doing when they’re working as your legal representative.
Immigration Lawyers in California: What Do They Do?
The tasks that your attorney will perform for you will depend greatly on what they have been hired to do. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons why you might hire an immigration lawyer and what they might do to get these tasks completed.
If You Are Applying For a Visa or Citizenship
If you are applying for a visa or for citizenship, your attorney’s duties may include:
- Walking you through your application.
- Reviewing your application for errors, unanswered questions, and misunderstandings.
- Help you to understand what is expected of you by becoming a resident or citizen.
- Make sure that you meet the necessary deadlines for any paperwork or interviews.
If Your Application Processing is Taking Much Longer Than Expected
If you have already submitted a visa or citizenship application and have been waiting for a much longer time than you were advised, your attorney’s duties may include
- Following up on the status of your application.
- Determining if there is a reason why your application is held up and help you to resolve that situation.
- Review a copy of your application to ensure that no mistakes were made that could be delaying your application processing.
If You Are Facing Deportation
There are a number of reasons why you may be facing deportation and your attorney can help by doing the following
- Determine the specifics of your possible deportation.
- Work with you to establish a defense against deportation.
- Help you to gather any necessary evidence against your deportation.
Research has shown that individuals facing deportation who have an attorney representing them are much more likely to have a successful outcome at deportation hearings than those who do not have representation.
If You Are Applying For Asylum
If you are applying for asylum, your attorney can help you by doing the following
- Help you to fill in your application for asylum and understand that application.
- Help you to prove that you are facing credible threats and that you qualify for asylum status in the US.
- Help you to prepare for your interview.
- Provide you with support during the interview and asylum process.
If You Married a U.S. Citizen But Your Marriage Has Ended
If you have married a U.S. citizen as a foreign national but your marriage has ended before the conditions on your permanent residence have been removed, your attorney can do the following
- Help to establish to the court that your marriage was not a sham.
- Help you to determine the next step of your residency.
If You Are Appealing Your Application Denial
If your application for residency has been denied previously and you wish to seek residency again, your attorney can do the following
- Help you to understand why your previous application was denied.
- Help you to rectify any problems that led to your application denial.
- Help you to avoid making similar mistakes on your application a second time.
You Want to Apply For Permanent Residence
If you intend on filing for permanent residence, your attorney can help by doing the following
- Help to determine whether you are eligible for permanent residence.
- Help you to understand different aspects of your application.
- Prepare you for the interview process for your USCIS interview.
- Ensure that you meet all necessary deadlines for your application process.
If You Own a Business And Want To Hire a Foreign National
If you own a U.S. company and you want to hire a foreign national to work at your company, your attorney can do the following
- Help you to file for certification from the department of labor.
- Help you to petition (Immigrant Petition for the Alien Worker) on behalf of the foreign worker/s that you are interested in hiring.
- Help you to understand what your responsibility is when bringing a foreign national to work at your company.
- Help you to understand how to support your foreign workers.
- Familiarizing you with the law as it concerns you as an employer and what you can and cannot do in regard to overseeing a foreign national worker.
You Are New to the US
As a new immigrant coming to the US, you can feel overwhelmed, but your immigration attorney can help by doing the following
- Let you know what your rights are as an immigrant living in the US.
- Educate you on what you can and should do if you face questioning from the authorities.
- Familiarize you with what is and is not acceptable when it comes to your employer’s treatment of you.
In Short…
In short, your immigration attorney is available to you to help you to immigrate and live in the US while abiding by necessary regulations. They will also help you to stand up for your rights and determine when authorities, organizations like ICE, and your employer have overstepped and infringed your rights as someone living in the United States.
Are You Looking For Immigration Lawyers in California?
If you’re looking for immigration lawyers in California, Nelson and Associates can help! To find out more about how we can help you specifically, give us a call today at 626-683-3451 to set up a consultation.
