A Quick Summary of Immigrant Visas

If a person who is currently living outside of the United States has a desire to become a permanent resident, they must secure an immigrant visa in order to apply for entry. This process, along with immigration law, can be complex. In order to receive an immigrant visa, a person has to first qualify for an immigrant classification. These can include employment-based, diversity, family-sponsored, or refugee classifications. Success in obtaining a visa is dependent on an applicant’s particular circumstances. In order to be successful, the person must meet specific requirements, procedures, and rules, all of which vary depending on what type of category of immigrant visa the person is requesting. It is an unfortunate fact that many times, visa petitions are delayed or rejected because of misunderstandings regarding certain requirements. However, having an experienced and able immigration attorney can help in making sure your immigrant visa application is prepared and submitted. Call an immigrant attorney today to help answer any questions you may have about immigrant visas.

Immigrant Visa Categories

You must secure an immigrant visa if you wish to permanently live in the United States. The main types of immigrant visas awarded are based on employment or family, diversity immigrant status (Diversity Visa Lottery Program), and refugee or asylum status. Because there are different kinds of visas you may obtain, one of the hardest parts of US immigration law is determining which of these is best suited and available to a certain person. Sometimes, there is more than one choice for an applicant. There are also many important parts in the visa process, including individuals seeking visas along with businesses and relatives in the United States. Contacting an immigration attorney will help you to identify and petition for the correct visa.

Immigration Law in the United States

All branches of the United States federal government—legislative, executive, and judicial—have prominent roles in the laws and policies concerning US immigration. Most of the immigration process is dealt with in five departments of the executive branch. These departments are the Department of Health and Human Services, The Department of Labor, the Department of State, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Within the Department of Homeland Security, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the US Customs and Border Protection division, and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement division handle both the enforcement and administration of benefits under immigration laws. Immigrant visa petitions, asylum and refugee applications, and other facets of the immigration process are handled by the USCIS.

Length of Time for Getting a Visa Processed

Family-based immigrant visas are normally the quickest visas to be approved. It usually takes more time for an immigrant visa to be processed than it does for a nonimmigrant visa. It is possible that employment-based immigrant visas will go through the system without taking too much time, but there can be delays resulting from having to procure a labor certification from the US Department of Labor. For labor certifications, the processing times tends to vary significantly between regional offices. As can be predicted, the areas with the greatest delays are those with the highest number of applicants. Through the United States National Visa Center, visas can be processed between a few weeks and a few months, but in some cases they make take years to be approved.

It can create a logjam in the system and allow unwelcome surprises to occur if a visa application is not correctly filled out. These problems can occur through people not presenting the required supporting documents, giving inadequate information, or from other small, simple mistakes. In order to help speed up the process of attaining a visa, the application should be filled out correctly the first time, and its status should be tracked regularly. Having a skilled immigration attorney help you with this process is the best way to ensure that a visa application has been filed correctly. They will also help you track the application’s progress to try and avoid unneeded delays.

Contact Us

Immigration attorneys represent clients throughout the world. No matter which US state you decide to live in, immigration attorneys can assist with the immigration process. Since this area of law is so complex, you should contact an immigration attorney if you have questions about immigrant visas or any general immigration question. An attorney with experience in this area will be sure to give you accurate, reliable information concerning the immigration laws.

'I would like to thank [my attorney] for all his work for us in regards to my husband’s immigration process. He was well informed, organized and highly effective; making the process much easier. I would recommend his services to anyone seeking a seamless process. Thanks again!'
- M. S.

'I would like to thank [my attorney and his paralegal] for their wonderful job! Thank you guys, you did a great job. Especially in organizing all the paperwork and representing my case. You are very kind and down to earth people! I am very happy I did my business with you and would highly recommend you to anyone who is looking for an immigration lawyer! Thank you […] YOU ROCK! WE DID IT! XOXO'
- I. K.

'I would like to thank [my attorney] and the staff for helping me get my residency. He did a great job. I would recommend him to anyone that needs the same help. Thank you.'
- J. C.

'I would highly recommend Steven H. Mevorah & Associates to anyone who needs legal assistance. My wife and I recently received help with our immigration case and they made us feel like our case was as important to them, as it was to us. We felt very confident knowing we had their representation. They really helped us out and now we focus on raising our daughter and being a family.'
- R. B.

'When I first found the Law Firm of Steven H. Mevorah and Associates in the phonebook I was not to sure of it, but there was the phone number so I called and made the appointment, which they gave me that day. [The attorney I met with] asked what the problem was and what can he do for me. I told him [and] he took my case. He explained what [he would do] and I was more than pleased with what he said. From then on, I knew my case was going to be just fine. […] so if you need an honest firm, Steven H. Mevorah and Associates is the one.'
- E. W.

'My sincere thanks go out to Steven H. Mevorah & Associates. [My attorneys] provided much needed comfort in addition to their sound legal advice. A very professional law firm, indeed.'
- A. R.

'I would like to thank [my attorney] and the entire crew at Steven H. Mevorah & Associates for their outstanding work on my case, which was a really complicated one. Once again, thank you so much.'
- M. M.

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