President Biden ‘s commitment to welcome Ukrainians fleeing Russia’s invasion is a significant step in the right direction. Parole under Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family members who are outside of the United States to come to the United States and stay temporarily. Form I-134 , Declaration of Financial Support must be filed by a U.S.-based supporter with USCIS before an individual can be considered for parole. In this blog post, we will explore eligibility requirements for parole under uniting for Ukraine. To be eligible for parole under Uniting for Ukraine , an individual must hold lawful status in the United States, be a parolee or beneficiary of deferred action or Deferred Enforced Departure (DED ), and have passed security and background vetting. The person must also show that they have the financial means to take in, care for, and support the people they agree to support for the course of their stay in the United States. Citizens of Ukraine who are currently residing in the United States will not be given parole consideration under Uniting for Ukraine . However, Americans who are citizens of Ukraine may be eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS ). Uniting for Ukraine does not grant parole to minors who go without their parents or legal guardians. The Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2008 (TVPRA ) stipulates that a child who is not traveling with their parent or legal guardian may be given into the custody of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry to safeguard them from human trafficking and other types of exploitation. Those who do not meet the above criteria are not eligible for parole under Uniting for Ukraine. This includes individuals who have been convicted of a felony or significant misdemeanor, have committed acts of domestic violence, have been involved in human trafficking, or have been determined to be a public safety risk. Humanitarian parole offers temporary residence and resources while allowing recipients to look into alternative immigration options, even if it does not directly lead to long-term residency in the US. The purpose of this initiative is to stop the flow of Ukrainians who are crossing the Mexican border by providing a simplified, fast-track alternative for those with sponsors. The United States may no longer waive Title 42 for Ukrainian, while it appears that applying for uniting at the Mexican border may be possible, the procedure will be more challenging. Title 42 permits the removal of immigrants that arrive at the border without being allowed to request asylum. While some Ukrainians have already arrived in the country, the Uniting initiative is to help the country achieve its stated objectives of welcoming more Ukrainian nationals and other people willing to emigrate. Some more legal options are Temporary Protected Status (TPS), immigrant and nonimmigrant visa options, the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, “normal” humanitarian parole, and asylum. If you are interested in parole under Uniting for Ukraine , we encourage you to consult with an experienced immigration attorney to discuss your specific case and ensure that you meet all eligibility requirements.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Vi0iqsE5A8 The U.S. Entrepreneur Parole is a temporary permit to live and work in the United States. Through the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER ), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is able to use its parole authority to grant a period of authorized stay to foreign entrepreneurs who demonstrate that their stay in the United States would provide a significant public benefit through their business venture and that they merit a favorable exercise of discretion. This program allows entrepreneurs to stay or relocate to the United States for up to five years to help their startup business grow. Ultimately, the company’s goal should be to create jobs in the United States.Unlike visas that require you to work in a specific field, the international entrepreneur parole program is open to all professional fields. It is the applicant’s responsibility to demonstrate how much benefit the startup’s growth will bring to the U.S. economy and the number of jobs it will create. Startup entrepreneurs are eligible for “parole,” for an initial 30-month period which allows them to live in the United States with their families and grow their businesses. Although it isn’t a traditional visa, per say, founders at companies that have received grants or investments from the United States are still able to work in the U.S. without the need for an H-1B, O-1A, or other visa or green card. Entrepreneurs granted parole will only be able to work for their new company. The foreign entrepreneur’s spouse and children may also be eligible for parole. While spouses are eligible to seek work authorization once they are in the United States as parolees, children are not. Up to three entrepreneurs per start-up firm may be awarded IER parole. To be eligible for parole under the IEPP, applicants must meet the following requirements: ⦁ Have a central and active involvement in a start-up in the United States founded during the last five years;⦁ Have at least a 10% equity share in the startup; and⦁ Show that, within the 18 months before the IEPP application, the start-up received either: ⦁ A minimum investment of $250,000 from one or more qualified U.S. investors; or ⦁ a minimum of $100,000 in government prizes or subsidies. The Entrepreneur Parole can be a great way for entrepreneurs from around the world to grow their businesses in the United States.
https://www.youtuhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZL4aSifTVwwbe.com/watch?v=XHOmBV4js_E An H-4 visa is a nonimmigrant visa for the spouses and minor children of all H visa holders—including H-1B for high-skilled workers, and H-2A and H-2B for agricultural and nonagricultural seasonal workers. Though, it is quite rare for seasonal H-2A or H-2B workers to bring family because visa adjudicators treat the family as a potential sign to overstay these short-term visas. Since all H-2 workers return home, bringing family for a few months makes little financial sense when their spouses cannot work. For this reason, H-4s are almost solely the family of H-1B workers. Dependents eligible for the H-4 visa are spouses and unmarried children under 21. With an H-4 visa, you can travel to the US and live with the main H visa holder. This visa has many benefits, which include: ⦁ You can live in the US ⦁ You can attend schools ⦁ You can open a bank account ⦁ You can work anywhere with an EAD ⦁ You can work full-time or part-time. ⦁ You can get a social security number and tax ID ⦁ You can start up your own business ⦁ You can apply for a driver’s license There’s no annual quota or cap on the number of people that can apply for an H-4 visa. Hence, there’s no deadline, and you can apply at any time. Required Documents The following documents are necessary for your H-4 visa application: ⦁ Copy of your passport ⦁ Copy of the principal H visa approval notice (approved visa or application if applying at the same time) ⦁ Birth certificate for unmarried children under 21 ⦁ Marriage certificates for spouses Depending on where you are applying for the H-4 visa, you can either mail them in or take them with you to your visa interview. The US Embassy only accepts original documents for visa applications. Other government-issued ID documents may substitute for birth and marriage certificates in some cases if the original documents are unavailable. Furthermore, you’ll need certified English translations for non-English documents. H-4 Visa Application If applying while abroad, the first thing to do is to complete Form DS-160 online. Provide all the necessary details and upload all required documents. Next, print the application confirmation page – this is the page containing the barcode, pay the DS-160 application fee, and schedule the visa interview. The interview will most likely take place in the country you reside in. You should schedule an appointment with the US Embassy closest to you. It’s important to schedule your interview as soon as you can. You also have to schedule an appointment for biometrics. If you’re already in the US on a different nonimmigrant visa, you must apply for a visa status change by filing Form I-539. The form is available on the USCIS website. H-4 Visa Interview If abroad, your H-4 visa interview is a major deciding factor on your visa application where an embassy staff will ask you questions about your application. The interview questions will mainly be about yourself and your relationship with the principal H visa holder. The main reason for this interview is to ensure only genuine immediate relatives receive the visa. Before attending your interview, you should know as much detail as possible about the principal H visa holder’s work in the US. Furthermore, your answers must be true to what was submitted in forms and other documents. If you are not told at the end of the interview whether your application is approved, you’ll get a notification from the embassy once a decision has been made on your application. If you are applying while in the U.S., then you will not be required to attend an interview. H-4 Visa Processing Time If abroad, the caseload of the US Embassy processing your visa will determine the processing time. This is why you should schedule your interview immediately after filing your application. After your interview, it may take days or weeks for the embassy to decide. If approved, they’ll send you your passport with the H-4 visa stamp. If inside the U.S., changing nonimmigrant status to H-4 will take many months to process. H-4 Visa Validity The validity period of the principal H visa is the same as your H-4 visa. For example, H-1B visas are valid for a maximum of 3 years, and can be extended for another 3 years if the applicant meets eligibility requirements for visa extensions. So the H-4 visa will follow this as well. When the H-1B purpose of stay in the US ends or the visa expires, you have the same 60-day grace period the H-1B visa holder receives before leaving the US. As I promised, here’s some bonus information that you may not know about: There are two requirements that you must meet before getting an H-4 work permit or H-4 EAD. 1. Must be the spouse of an H-1B holder—no other H visa has this benefit, and children do not qualify. 2. The H-1B holder spouse must have successfully filed and received an approval for an I-140 petition in furtherance of obtaining a green card. The USCIS must have already approved this petition. As long as the I-140 has been approved, you are eligible for an H-4 EAD. In addition to the ability to work once obtaining an EAD, there are a few other benefits to the EAD. H-4 visa holders who have an EAD can: ⦁ Receive a social security number ⦁ Have no restrictions on employment Conclusion The H-4 visa presents a great opportunity for the children and spouses of H-1B visa holders to study, gain experience, and even earn income in the U.S. I hope you found this video helpful. Subscribe if this content or information helps you in any way, comment below if you want me to talk about something in specific, and share this resource because you never know who needs answers to these questions. Additionally, if you have any specific questions about this video as they pertain to your unique circumstances,
Ethiopia is a landlocked nation situated in Africa’s Horn. Its neighbors are Somalia, Kenya, Sudan, Eritrea, and Djibouti. The nation’s capital, Addis Abeba, which means “New Flower,” is practically in the middle of the country. Due to the ongoing deadly conflict, the once stable and promising country is now in a dire situation, and like in all armed conflicts, civilians are paying a heavy price for it. Thousands have lost their lives, fled the country, or have become internally displaced. According to a recent announcement by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Ethiopia has been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS ) for 18 months. The three statutory bases for TPS designation are ongoing armed conflict, environmental disaster, or extraordinary and temporary conditions. This designation is based on a current armed conflict and exceptional and brief conditions in Ethiopia that make it impossible for people of Ethiopian descent and those without nationality who had previously habitually stayed there to return home in a secure manner. Civilians are in danger of conflict-related violence due to the armed conflict, including assaults, executions, rape, and other gender-based forms of violence; ethnicity-based detentions; and human rights abuses and violations. Ethiopia joins a list of other countries currently under TPS status including Syria, Yemen, and South Sudan. This relief is important for those who may not have any other means of obtaining lawful status in the United States and provides protection from deportation as well as work authorization. Ethiopia’s TPS status will be reviewed on a regular basis and may be extended or terminated based on conditions in the country. Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, said, “The United States recognizes the ongoing armed conflict and the extraordinary and temporary conditions engulfing Ethiopia, and DHS is committed to providing temporary protection to those in need. The U.S. government will allow Ethiopian nationals who cannot safely return home because of conflict-related violence and a humanitarian crisis involving severe food shortages, flooding, drought, and displacement to remain and work until conditions improve in their home country”. It will be the country’s first TPS designation. The people who qualify for TPS under this designation must have lived in the U.S. continuously since October 20, 2022. After October 20, 2022, anyone who tries to enter the country won’t qualify for TPS under this category. The 18-month designation for Ethiopia will take effect on the day the next Federal Register notice is published, December 12, 2022.
As you know, the last step of the marriage green card process is the interview which is scheduled by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) if the spouse seeking a green card lives in the United States and by the National Visa Center (NVC ) if they live abroad. I understand how hard and difficult this process is for many of you, so today we’re here to discuss how to prepare for your marriage-based green card interview. Although this interview may still be months away, knowing what to expect will help you feel more confident and prepared when that important day comes. So in this video, we will talk about preparing for the marriage-based green card interview so that you don’t experience a denial of your green card application. Even if your marriage green card application is straightforward and free of red flags, the high stakes make a lot of applicants anxious. If you’re unable to sleep at night, envisioning all of the reasons why your application might be denied, remember that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has the same goal as you and your spouse: ensuring that eligible couples with genuine marriages are able to live together in the United States. Whether your interview will take place in the United States or abroad, the interviewing officer’s primary goal will be to determine whether your marriage is authentic — in other words, not based on fraud. Questions can focus on, for example, the history of your relationship, your daily activities as a married couple, and your future plans together. Since you came this far and already filed your green card application with U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services USCIS, you may fear something may go wrong during the green card interview. Don’t worry! You are at the right place. Here, I will provide you with essential details to look out for during the green card interview and tips before attending the interview. What Happens at the Interview? The purpose of a marriage-based green card interview and the USCIS officer’s primary goal is to determine that your marriage is authentic. That’s why the officer will pay close attention to all detail in your and your spouse’s responses to the green card interview questions and the evidence you provide. For example, some green card interview questions can focus on the history of your relationship, the everyday activities you practiced together as a couple, and plans you have already made or are thinking about. The interviewing officers will listen to you carefully and determine whether you sufficiently convinced them that your marriage is not fraudulent. If so, they will approve the spouse for a green card. In some cases, each spouse can be interviewed separately, and the officer will compare their statements afterward to review for any inconsistencies. What Question Do I Need to Answer at the Green Card Interview? While you can never be certain about the questions that an interviewing officer will ask, here are some of the most typical questions that couples encounter, grouped by category: YOUR RELATIONSHIP HISTORY ⦁ How did you meet? ⦁ Where did some of your first dates take place? ⦁ How long did you date before deciding to get married? ⦁ What is the story of your marriage proposal? YOUR WEDDING ⦁ What was your wedding like? ⦁ Who attended your wedding? ⦁ What food was served? ⦁ Were there any special rituals performed? If so, what kind? ⦁ Did you go anywhere for your honeymoon? If so, where? YOUR DAILY ROUTINES ⦁ What is daily life like for you and your spouse around the house? ⦁ How do you start your day? ⦁ How often do you text or talk on the phone when you’re apart? ⦁ Which of you likes to cook? ⦁ Which of you likes to clean? YOUR KIDS (IF ANY) ⦁ How do your kids get to school? ⦁ Who are their friends? ⦁ What are their favorite foods? ⦁ Do they play any sports? If so, what? YOUR PERSONAL HABITS AND NEEDS ⦁ What side of the bed do you sleep on? ⦁ Who snores? ⦁ What medications does your spouse take? BIG EVENTS, RITUALS, OR CELEBRATIONS ⦁ When are your birthdays? ⦁ What did you do to celebrate? ⦁ What did you get each other as gifts? ⦁ What’s the most important holiday of the year in your household, and where do you typically celebrate it? What Happens After the Interview? If the USCIS officer establishes ineligibility at the visa interview, you can receive a notice of intent to deny on the spot. Do not feel discouraged because, before such a decision, you will generally have another opportunity to submit more evidence or clarify issues. After the interview, there are four scenarios to expect: 1. Application Approval 2. Request for Evidence / Notice of Intent to Deny 3. Additional Review 4. The Second Interview How Can An Immigration Attorney Help You? The whole green card process can last for a long time, and an interview may be overwhelming for spouses by itself. This is why hiring a lawyer like myself from the beginning can be fruitful and save you lots of time. An immigration attorney will approach your case individually, making sure the best strategy is in place. When it comes to marriage interviews, a lawyer can review the spouses’ backgrounds, review the evidence, and confirm expectations and how to respond to likely scenarios. As I promised, here’s some bonus information that you may not know about: Follow these tips to help you ace your interview: ⦁ Be honest and open. Think of the interview as an opportunity to give the officer a window into your life as a couple, not as an obligation to portray the ideal marriage. Every couple experiences marital difficulties, and you shouldn’t be penalized for admitting your own. ⦁ Speak your mind. Some interviewing officers will ask very personal questions. If you find a question too offensive, you can let the officer know
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has stated that the H-2B visa cap will be supplemented with more visas. They announced that they would issue a regulation making an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary non-agricultural worker visas available to businesses for fiscal year (FY) 2023 , in addition to the 66,000 H-2B visas that are typically available each fiscal year. The H-2B program enables eligible U.S. employers to employ foreign nationals in the U.S. to fill temporary non-agricultural occupations by completing Form I-129. The employment must be a one-time occurrence, seasonal demand, or intermittent requirement. Employers must also ensure that hiring H-2B workers will not impact the wages and working conditions of similarly employed U.S. workers. Each fiscal year, the number of foreign workers who can obtain H-2B status is limited to 66,000 per year. There is a legislative numerical restriction, or “cap,” on the number of non-citizens who may be issued an H-2B visa or otherwise granted H-2B status. Workers in the United States in H-2B status who prolong their stay, change companies, or change the terms and conditions of their employment are exempt from this cap. The spouse and children of H-2B employees who are designated as H-4 non-immigrants are also exempt from this cap. Once the H-2B cap has been reached, the USCIS may only consider applications for H-2B workers who are exempt from the H-2B cap. Another issue addressed was the institutional disincentives for H-2B employees that exist for reporting or leaving abusive settings, and individuals frequently lack the authority to exercise their legal rights when they are subjected to abusive working conditions. The DOL and DHS emphasizes the significance of protecting all H-2B workers from exploitation and abuse and of making sure that, in accordance with the law, employers do not reject or improperly hire American individuals who are able, willing, qualified, and available to carry out the temporary task.. The departments announced the formation of the H-2B Worker Protection Taskforce to address these challenges, which will focus on: (1) threats to the H-2B program’s integrity (2) H-2B workers’ fundamental vulnerabilities, such as their limited ability to leave abusive employment without it affecting their immigration status and (3) the program’s improper use to avoid hiring U.S. workers DHS intends to submit a notice of proposed regulation relating to the H-2 programs, including policies that increase H-2 worker rights. H-2B employees benefit American small businesses and job growth, and this announcement will give employers some much-needed relief.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzXi7J9ILHc As you know, diversity is a core American value, and in 1990, this diversity visa program was established to encourage immigration to the United States from a wider variety of countries. So today, we’re here to discuss everything you need to know about this diversity visa program. This program is one of the multiple ways for non-citizens to become U.S. permanent residents. The program is a free lottery that people from countries around the world can enter for a chance to apply for green cards and live and work legally in the United States. The lottery winners don’t need family or employment relationships with U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents to sponsor them for their green cards. What is the Diversity Visa Program? The Diversity Visa Program was established by the Immigration Act of 1990 to make the US population more diverse. Each year nationals of countries with a low rate of immigration to the US get a chance to be considered for a US Green Card. There are 50,000 non-immigrant visas available for the lottery participants every year. The winners are selected randomly. Any person who is a citizen of a country that has a historically low immigration rate to the US can apply, as long as they meet the requirements set by the US immigration law. If you want to have a chance to get the US Green Card this way, you need to apply within a specific timeframe. Otherwise, if you miss the deadline, your application will not be taken into consideration and you have to wait until next year. Each candidate can submit only one entry. Diversity Visa Eligibility 1. Country of Birth In order to be eligible for the Diversity Visa, you must have been born in a country that sent less than 50,000 immigrants to the United States over the past 5 years. There is some yearly variation in the eligible countries. However, to date, Canada, China, India, Mexico, and the United Kingdom have never make a list, as these countries respectively send many immigrants to the United States. For the 2024 application period, which opened October 5, 2023, nationals from the following countries are not eligible to apply: ⦁ Bangladesh ⦁ Brazil ⦁ Canada ⦁ China (including Hong Kong SAR) ⦁ Colombia ⦁ Dominican Republic ⦁ El Salvador ⦁ Haiti ⦁ Honduras ⦁ India ⦁ Jamaica ⦁ Mexico ⦁ Nigeria ⦁ Pakistan ⦁ Philippines ⦁ South Korea ⦁ United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories ⦁ Venezuela ⦁ Vietnam So if you are not born from any of these countries, then you can apply this year. If your native country is not eligible, there are still two ways you could qualify for the Diversity Visa: ⦁ If your spouse was born in an eligible country, you can apply with your spouse and choose your spouse’s birth country on your application. ⦁ If neither of your parents were legal residents in your own country of birth, you could choose your mother or father’s country of birth. 2. Education The second major requirement for Diversity Visa applicants is that you must have at least a high school degree or at least two years of work experience within the past five years in a profession that requires at least two years of training, as determined by the U.S. Department of Labor. What are the Requirements for the Diversity Visa Program? To be eligible for entry into the Diversity Visa Program, each candidate must meet the following requirements: ⦁ Be a citizen of a country that has a low immigration rate to the US. If you are not sure if that applies to your home country, you should check the list issued every year by the US Department of State. ⦁ Have one of the following: ⦁ Have high school education, which means that an applicant needs to have completed a formal course of elementary and secondary education comparable to finishing a 12-year course in the US. ⦁ Have two or more years of qualifying work experience If you enter the lottery and are selected, but do not meet the requirements, you will not be invited to apply for the Green Card. How to Enter the Diversity Visa Lottery There is a limited period of time during which applicants can enter the program. Every year, the lottery is open for four to five weeks, and the exact dates vary. To find out what the registration period dates are that year, you need to visit the Department of State website. To participate in the lottery, you must submit an entry online on the Electronic Diversity Visa (E-DV) website. There, you fill out an online form. Please note that paper forms are not accepted. During the registration period, you can submit only one entry. If you submit more than one, your entry will be disqualified as the US Department of State has a technology that detects it. Once you submit your entry, you will receive a confirmation number. You must keep it as without it, you will not be able to check the status of your entry and find out whether your submission was selected. How are successful applicants selected? Diversity Immigrant Visa applicants are selected randomly from all registered individuals based on visas available for each country. The lottery results are updated on the Electronic Diversity Visa website. By visiting the Entrant Status Check section of the page, you will be able to check whether your submission was selected or not. Visiting the Electronic Diversity Visa website is the only way to check the lottery outcome. Successful applicants will not be notified by mail or phone. If you have lost your confirmation number, you will not be able to find out whether your entry was selected. If your entry is successful, you will be directed to a page that will include further instructions on next steps. What happens when my entry is selected? If you check the lottery results and find out that you are a
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0z8a9NWXuL8 As you know, receiving a notice of intent to deny will impede your progress. I understand how hard and difficult this process is for many of you, so today we’re here to discuss how to respond to a NOID. So in this video, we will talk about why you received a NOID and what to do if you receive it so that you don’t experience a denial from USCIS. A NOID is a notice of intent to deny your immigration petition, which can cause distressing consequences to you if you don’t respond correctly and provide the supporting documents required. A Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) is a letter that an applicant or petitioner receives from USCIS informing them that the government intends to deny the application after reviewing it. The government will provide the applicant with a short window of time to respond. Responding to a NOID successfully will require providing additional documentation or conducting additional research to demonstrate why the application or petition should not be denied. Your NOID response will most likely be your final opportunity to persuade the USCIS adjudicator of your eligibility for that application. The most common reason applicants may receive a NOID, for example let’s take a look at a family-based green card, is a lack of bona fide marriage evidence. For example, you and your spouse may have submitted all sorts of great paperwork confirming the legitimacy of your marriage but, at the interview, were unable to answer basic questions about each other such as, what side of the bed does your spouse sleep on, does your spouse snore, does your spouse drink coffee/tea in the morning. Some individuals may confuse a Notice of Intent to Deny with an RFE. The difference is that an RFE informs you that USCIS cannot review your petition or application and wants you to supply additional information. A NOID is more serious and notifies you that the USCIS may refuse your petition or application in its current form. Receiving a NOID does not guarantee a complete denial; instead, you must carefully read the requirements requested by USCIS and provide all necessary evidence within the time frame specified in the notification. A Notice of Intent to Deny can be successfully refuted, particularly if you have an experienced immigration lawyer on your side to assist you in responding to the NOID.
Form N-400 is used to request US citizenship via naturalization. Lawful permanent residents of the United States who meet the eligibility requirements can apply for citizenship using the N-400 form. Naturalization is the process of becoming a citizen of the United States if you were born outside of the country, which is done through the United States citizenship and immigration services. If an immigrant has held a green card (permanent residency) for at least 3-5 years or meets various military service requirements, they become eligible to apply for US citizenship. Immigrants must devote attention and diligence to the citizenship process. Applicants for citizenship sometimes receive a denial and are left wondering why it happened. If you are planning on applying for citizenship, be aware of the reasons why your application may be rejected. Denial can be frustrating and set back your plans, so it is best to avoid any potential pitfalls. We will review the five most common reasons your citizenship application gets denied. 1. Criminal record If you have been convicted of a crime, even if it was just a misdemeanor, your application will likely be denied. It is essential to disclose any criminal convictions on your application, as lying about them will only result in further delays or denial. Some grave offenses can prevent you from becoming a citizen and perhaps result in your removal from the country. Suppose you have had an altercation with the law in the last five years. In that case, even if it was in another country, you should consult with an immigration attorney to handle the issues and figure out how to navigate your unique application. The USCIS lists several instances of actions that they believe demonstrate bad moral character, such as: ⦁ Imprisonment for 180 days or more over the previous five years ⦁ Prostitution ⦁ Illegal gambling ⦁ Failure to pay support or alimony ⦁ Habitual drunkenness ⦁ Violation of any controlled substance laws ⦁ Crimes against a person involving intent to harm 2. Incorrect or false information on Form N-400 Every piece of information on your Form N-400 needs to be factual. Your application will most likely be rejected even if you made a simple error and did not mean to supply misleading information. 3. Not being in the United States An applicant for citizenship must have been physically present in the United States for at least half the time required for continuous residence. A citizenship application may be denied if you do not spend the required time in the United States. Traveling outside the United States for six months should be avoided regardless of your visa. 4. Not paying taxes Turning in your taxes on time and in full, like paying child support or alimony, is critical to your path to naturalization. Meeting your financial commitments demonstrates to the USCIS that you are responsible and prepared to maintain good moral standing. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, you should be honest with USCIS. Working with an immigration attorney, USCIS, and a tax advisor demonstrates that you are committed to resolving the situation. If you have any outstanding tax debts, you will need to take care of them before your application can be approved. 5. Failure to register for selective service If you are a male between the ages of 18 and 25 who wants to become a citizen of the United States, you must register for Selective Service . Failure to do so is a common ground for denial of citizenship. There are ways to appeal a denial based on this decision. However, you must be able to demonstrate that failure to register for Selective Service was not a deliberate act. If you are applying for citizenship, be aware of these common reasons for denial. If you know the potential reasons for denial, you can avoid them and increase your chances of a successful citizenship application.
If you want to sponsor a green card holder, it is important to understand the financial sponsorship requirements set by the U.S. government. The income requirements for eligibility vary based on family size, as shown in the tables below. In this article, we will break down what you need to know to meet these requirements to help your loved one gain permanent residency in the United States. 2022 Minimum Annual Income Requirements for Most Sponsors: 125% of Federal Poverty Guidelines 2022 Minimum Annual Income Requirements for Military Sponsors: 100% of Federal Poverty Guidelines Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) What sources of income can I include? As of the 2021 tax filing year, your annual income as a sponsor will be reported on line 9 of IRS Form 1040, including wages or salaries earned and retirement benefits. A lot goes into determining how much is required by the sponsor. Funds can come from many different avenues such as through employer paychecks, alimony payments, trust account, and more. Also, child custody and support may also determine the amount needed to sponsor a loved on. Can I include income from other members of my household? The short answer is YES. You can include other adults within your household to meet the minimum financial threshold aggregately. All parties must sign an I-864 form which outlines financial commitments made towards the individual being sponsored. Can I include income from other people outside my household? The answer to this is also, YES. You may have heard that if your household doesn’t meet the minimum annual income requirement together, there’s other options. And here it is. You can include individuals outside of your household but they must reside in America and hold either American citizenship or permanent residency status. What if my income still isn’t high enough? Can I count my assets? Yes, you may be use assets as a substitute for income. Generally, USCIS requires that the assets “can be converted into cash within one year and without considerable hardship or financial loss to the owner.” Such assets can include savings accounts, certificates (CDs), mutual fund investments, individual stocks and bonds, and similar. You may also use other household members’ assets as long as they meet the following criteria: 1. They’re related to you by birth, marriage, or adoption. 2. They were listed on your most recent tax return, or they lived with you for the past six months. If you don’t have enough income or assets to meet the green card sponsor requirements, you may be able to find a joint sponsor. A joint sponsor is another person who agrees to take on financial responsibility for the sponsored immigrant.
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