Call or Text 571-441-2233 to
Schedule a Free Consultation
Recent Blog Posts
Can you be deported because of a DUI?
Drunk driving is dangerous. According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, 32% of all fatal traffic accidents in the state in 2019 were alcohol-related.
In an effort to improve traffic safety, Virginia has some of the toughest DUI penalties in the nation. Even someone convicted for a first-offense DUI faces a mandatory minimum fine of $250 and may have their driver's license suspended for one year.
For people who are not U.S. citizens, the consequences of a DUI conviction can be even more severe. Some immigrants convicted of DUI face the possibility of deportation.
Deportable offenses
Generally, an undocumented immigrant can face deportation if they are convicted of any criminal offense. It's possible they can be deported even before conviction.
Documented immigrants have somewhat more protection from deportation. They can be deported if they are convicted of certain types of crimes. Among the most common are weapons offenses and certain drug crimes. Those convicted of aggravated felonies (typically, but not always, involving crimes of violence) can be deported, as can those convicted of "crimes involving moral turpitude."
How to obtain an E-2 visa
An E-2 visa is an entrepreneurial visa allowing foreign nationals to temporarily enter the U.S. and develop a for-profit business where they own at least a 50% share and in which they've made a substantial investment. There's neither floor nor ceiling for that investment, but it's generally thought the minimum to be between $100,000 to $150,000.
Valid for three months to five years (depending on the country of origin), the E-2 visa can be renewed indefinitely if conditions are met, though the E-2 nonimmigrant must maintain an intention to leave the United States when the visa has expired.
The E-2 visa is not a path to citizenship. E-2 visa holders can adjust their immigration status, though, by obtaining a
- Marriage-based green card; or
- Company sponsored green card; or
- National interest waiver; or
- EB-5 visa; or
¿Si no soy ciudadano, perderé todo en mi divorcio?
No ser ciudadano resulta en muchas dificultades en cada aspecto de la vida. A veces, los inmigrantes no ciudadanos tienen miedo de reportar crímenes a la policía, tienen preocupaciones sobre la falta de seguridad del trabajo, y más. El divorcio es un campo más en que el estatus migratorio puede traer preocupaciones adicionales. ¿Es verdad que el juez favorecerá a su cónyuge ciudadano cuando llega la hora de dividir la propiedad matrimonial y establecer la custodia de sus hijos?
Cómo se divide la propiedad
Las parejas que se están divorciando tienen la oportunidad de negociar su propio acuerdo sobre cómo quieren dividir su propiedad matrimonial. Si es necesario que el juez establezca una división de propiedad, hay ciertos factores que tomará en consideración mientras divide la propiedad.
Por ejemplo, bajo la ley de Maryland y de Virginia, el juez debe considerar factores como la edad, la salud, el nivel de educación, la capacidad de obtener ingresos, y la contribución al matrimonio de los dos cónyuges para establecer una división equitativa bajo las circunstancias (enlace en inglés). El estatus migratorio de los cónyuges no es uno de los factores que toman en cuenta, y no darán una porción inferior a un cónyuge solo porque no es ciudadano.
Obtaining and renewing a green card
A green card, also known as a Permanent Resident Card, allows its holder to live and work permanently in the United States. There are several options to obtain a green card and information is available about how to renew it.
Green cards
One of the most common paths to a green card is through a close family member. If the applicant has a close family member who is a U.S. citizen or holds a green card, they may be able to sponsor the applicant.
Usually, immediate relatives of U.S. citizens are given priority. This includes a spouse, unmarried child under 21 years old or parents of an adult U.S. citizen.
U.S. employers may also sponsor an applicant. Employers may extend job offers to employees with extraordinary abilities, like researchers, executives and to people who have an advanced degree to work in the U.S.
People who have refugee or asylum status in the U.S. may also qualify for a green card. Refugees can apply one year after they arrive in the U.S. and for those who have been granted asylum, they can apply after one year as well. There are also other special programs that offer green cards.
How does divorce affect my immigration status?
Divorce is complicated, and going through a divorce as an immigrant can mean a whole new level of complications. In addition to the other worries that come with a divorce, you may worry about deportation.
The good news is that a divorce does not necessarily mean you will immediately be deported. However, you should still know how divorce will impact your immigration status, learn about your options and take any necessary steps to avoid deportation.
Conditional residents
If you are already a lawful permanent resident, your immigration status should not be affected. This is not the case if you are a conditional resident.
You are a conditional resident when you are married to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident for at least two years. When you are a conditional resident, you have a 3-year residency requirement before you can become a lawful permanent resident.
¿Qué se necesita para calificar para la DACA?
El programa de Acción Diferida para los Llegados en la Infancia (DACA, por sus siglas en inglés) ha hecho posible el sueño de quedarse en los Estados Unidos para miles de inmigrantes que antes no sabían si tendrían que volver a sus países. Este programa todavía existe, pero hay requisitos específicos con que un solicitante tiene que cumplir para calificar y poder tomar todo el beneficio de este programa.
La edad
El primer requisito es que el solicitante debe haber tenido menos de 31 años de edad en la fecha del 15 de junio, 2012 (enlace en inglés). Esto significa que su cumpleaños tiene que ser después del 15 de junio, 1981.
La edad en que llegó a los Estados Unidos
Un solicitante tiene que haber llegado a los Estados Unidos cuando tenía menos de 16 años.
La residencia continua
El solicitante debe haber residido de manera continua en los Estados Unidos desde el 15 de junio del 2007 hasta la fecha actual. Si usted tiene preguntas sobre si ciertas vacaciones o períodos fuera de los Estados Unidos lo descalifican para el programa de DACA, consulte a un abogado experimentado en asuntos de la ley de inmigración. Un abogado podrá evaluar si usted cumple con este requisito o no.
If your child is born in the United States, can you stay?
This is a common question among non-U.S. citizens who give birth to a baby while visiting the United States. Whether the mother is here on vacation or for another temporary reason that does not allow her to remain in the United States permanently or work in the United States, it can be a complex issue.
American citizenship by birth
Children born in the United States are U.S. citizens by being born on U.S. soil. However, that only gives the mother (or father, for that matter) the right to remain in the United States if they are also a citizen, in the U.S. on a visa or already have a Green Card.
An American child born to non-citizens on U.S. soil cannot immigrate their parents. The child must be a 21-year-old adult before they can sponsor their parents. In the meantime, however, the child can enter the United States as often as they like, given that they are U.S. citizens.
Understanding Temporary Protected Status
With the increase in violence in the world, most notably in Ukraine and Sudan, the mechanics of the program known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) are worth revisiting.
An overview of the TPS program
The TPS program was created by Congress in 1990 as part of the Immigration Act of 1990. The program permits the Secretary of Homeland Security to designate countries that are undergoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or extraordinary and temporary conditions.
The program provides a work permit and stay of deportation to foreign nationals from any of the designated TPS countries who are in the United States at the time that the Secretary makes the designation.
Approximately 354,625 TPS eligible individuals are living in the United States, and an additional 274,820 individuals may be eligible for TPS under five additional designations announced by the Biden Administration since February 16, 2022.
Will I lose my green card if I divorce my U.S. citizen spouse?
Sometimes a person enters the United States as the fiancé of a U.S. citizen to get married and live in the United States. If so, they might be granted a conditional green card. The conditional green card is granted to those who have been married less than two years from the date the green card was issued.
Once two years has passed since their arrival in the United States, the conditional green card holder can apply with their spouse to have the conditions removed. Generally, this must be done jointly by the spouses. But what if the green card holder is no longer married when this time comes? Can they renew their green card and stay in the United States?
Green cards and divorce
If you have a permanent green card, and you divorce, your divorce generally will not affect your ability to renew your green card. You can remain in the United States, barring any circumstances that would warrant removal.
If you have a conditional green card, and you divorce, you might encounter some issues when the time comes to renew your green card.
¿Se termina el título 42?
El título 42, instaurado y justificado por la llegada de COVID a los Estados Unidos tiene fecha clara de caducidad: 11 de Mayo de 2023. Dicha orden, autorizaba a las autoridades a regresar a México a todos aquellos inmigrantes que llegaran a EE.UU., sin darles la chance de buscar asilo.
En vista de este suceso, se estima que muchos de los inmigrantes que se encontraban en vela luego de la postergación de las restricciones del título 42, intentarán volver a buscar asilo.
¿Qué medidas se prevé que adoptará el gobierno ahora?
El miedo a que la situación se salga de control rápidamente, está impulsando a muchos legisladores a acelerar mecanismos para temporalmente extender las expulsiones en la frontera. Se estima que los números de inmigrantes (enlace en inglés) podrían multiplicarse a 10.000 por día, el doble de la cantidad que había en marzo.
With offices in Herndon, Virginia and Annapolis, Maryland, Immigration Legal Advisors, PLLC provides legal help to clients in the areas surrounding Washington, D.C., including Frederick, Leesburg, Ashburn, McNair, Stone Ridge, Reston, Chantilly, Germantown, Woodbridge, Potomac, Gaithersburg, Rockville, McLean, Falls Church, Manassas, Arlington, Alexandria, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Hyattsville, College Park, Greater Landover, Bowie, and Millersville.
Results listed are not a guarantee or indication of future case results.
© 2024 Immigration Legal Advisors, PLLC
1037 Sterling Rd., Suite 201, Herndon, VA 20170
571-441-2233
