Obtain Your Green Card and Permanent Residence Status

Find a Philadelphia green card attorney who can help you

A green card documents a person’s U.S. permanent residency. Permanent residency confers substantial benefits that include the right to:

• Permanently live in the United States
• Work in the United States with few restrictions
• Receive protections of the U.S. government
• Sponsor foreign relatives for their green cards

Immigration lawyers who strategize the best method for you to obtain your permanent residency and prepare a successful application provide invaluable Philadelphia green card help. An experienced attorney can also ensure that your current status is not jeopardized and address crucial issues — such as criminal convictions, visa overstays or unauthorized employment history — before you apply.

Learn about the different ways to obtain your permanent residency

You can acquire a green card through several avenues, each with specific requirements, procedures and evidence. Permanent residence is most commonly obtained through:

• Family-sponsored immigration
• Employment-based immigration
• Asylum and refugee claims
• Humanitarian groups, including battered spouses, special immigrant juveniles and Cuban nationals

Get help filing a successful USCIS petition

The best immigration attorneys in Philadelphia can handle all types of green card cases, including for:

• Employers — Secure labor certifications, guide you through the recruitment process and petition to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to obtain visas for your foreign workers
  • Foreign workers — Troubleshoot inadmissibility issues and apply to USCIS or a U.S. consulate for your and your family’s green cards
  • Treaty traders and extraordinary abilities individuals — Help you self-petition and assist you with compliance issues
  • U.S. citizen or permanent resident family members — Help you sponsor your eligible alien relatives
  • Asylees and refugees — Assist you in filing a timely, well-documented claim  and assure that your rights are protected throughout removal proceedings and court cases

Adjustment of status and consular processing

After you receive an immigrant visa, the next step is an application for your green card. You typically file for an adjustment of status if you are in the United States and apply to a consulate if you are located outside of the country. In some cases, you can expedite the green card process by filing the immigrant petition and adjustment of status applications concurrently.

How an attorney can help you obtain a waiver of inadmissibility

We assist you in locating experienced Philadelphia immigration lawyers who can effectively address such serious issues as:

• A criminal record
• An expired visa
• Unauthorized employment history
• Unlawful presence
• A current status that does not permit you to adjust status

Seek the advice of a lawyer before filing for permanent residency because doing so could place you at risk of deportation or removal. Your attorney can also determine whether you qualify for relief through the necessary waiver applications.

Contact an immigration attorney in Philadelphia for a free consultation

Call 267-244-1683 or use the online contact form for assistance with your immigration case from a qualified lawyer near you.