Green Card/Legal Permanent Residence
Assistance with green card eligibility throughout the southeastern United States
Most visas that allow a foreign national to visit the United States, study at a university, work or stay in the U.S. legally are temporary in nature. These visas are known as non-immigrant visas, or NIV visas. They are issued with the understanding that recipients will return to their country of origin when their permission to remain in the U.S. expires. However, a green card is a permanent visa; it serves as the legal basis for residing in the United States to live and work without restrictions, and it is the first step toward full citizenship. For more than 24 years, the Southern Star Immigration team has assisted hopeful immigrants in obtaining lawful permanent residence (LPR) status for themselves and their family members.
Exploring the possible avenues for obtaining a green card
An individual may petition for a green card in one of several ways. The most common include:
Close family relationship, including marriage to a citizen or green card holder. Family immigration is the most common way to obtain LPR status.
An offer of permanent employment from an employer in the United States
A significant investment in an American business
Winning the diversity visa lottery
Proving a case for asylum
Self-petitioning as a battered spouse under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
The Southern Star Immigration team examines the facts of your situation, helps you choose the path that makes the most sense for you, and provides diligent representation to guide you toward success.
Maintaining your green card once you get it
Although a green card denotes permanent residency, you can lose that status in several ways:
Abandonment — If you move to another country, you must be careful not to give the impression that you intend to live there permanently. If you spend too much time abroad, and especially if you fail to file a federal income tax return, authorities may assume you've abandoned your permanent residency, and reentry into the United States could be very difficult.
Renunciation — If you no longer want to hold LPR status, you can notify the U.S. government and give up your residency. If you do this, however, you may have to re-qualify from the beginning if you wish to become an LPR again in the future.
As long as you take your responsibilities as an LPR seriously, you should have no problem progressing toward naturalization. But should you encounter any difficulty along the way, your hometown immigration attorney and his team at Southern Star Immigration are here to help.