The Citizenship Process and Divorce

Recently the United States Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) stepped up enforcement and political prosecution of immigrants. Individuals and families need to be prepared. Although it may be tempting to try to save money by filing an application for adjustment of status by oneself or by choosing a non lawyer, the price of losing the case is now much higher than the costs of hiring a good attorney. Aliens whose application for adjustment of status is denied may be facing much more than just a disappointment; they now face a removal charge in immigration court.

Immigration law is one of the most complicated areas of law and even minor mistakes can result in severe consequences to the immigrant and his family. All too often an alien will file an application for adjustment of status for which the alien is not eligible. They may not have entered lawfully, may be out of status, or may be a crewman and not qualify under Section 245(i) of the Act (a provision that allows certain aliens to apply for adjustment of status if they pay a penalty.) They may have a criminal bar or may have a previous order of removal that they do not know about. They may have filed the application on their own, or they may have even filed the application with the assistance of an attorney unfamiliar with the complexities of immigration law. In the past, the USCIS would simply deny the application and the alien would leave the United States on their own or continue to remain with family in hopes of future relief or file a new application when qualified. Now, not only will USCIS deny the alien’s application, but it will also issue the alien a Notice to Appear (NTA), placing him or her in removal proceedings before an Immigration Judge. Sometimes, the alien may even be detained at the adjustment of status interview.

Many, but not all, immigration procedures require an interview with an official from the Bureau of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Being prepared and not arousing suspicion will make the USCIS interview as pleasant as possible. The tenor of each interview will depend on the personality of the USCIS official with whom you meet, so it is almost impossible to be entirely prepared. It is important to remember, however, that it is the USCIS official’s job to determine whether there is anything about your background or present circumstances that preclude you from obtaining the immigration status you desire — the officer does not have anything against you personally.

DO prepare for the meeting. Bring copies all of your forms and all your document originals. You should be able to respond to questions about your forms without extensive referencing and confusion.

When you come from a home of divorce, making your own marriage work can be tougher than average. But, you can stop the cycle. In Breaking the Cycle of Divorce, author John Trent, an adult child of divorce himself, offers encouragement, insight and the tools to equip you to beat the odds. Learn to face your fears, make reasonable and realistic changes, and get the help you need to avoid becoming a negative statistic. You can have a marriage that’s strong – that thrives – and gives your own children a solid foundation for happily married lives. A Focus on the Family Resource. Hardcover.

In an age when the pressures on marriage are heavier than ever and divorce is more accepted and easier to obtain, marriages seem to fail as often as they succeed. As an adult child of divorce, Dr. John Trent offers insights into why adult children of divorce tend to repeat their parents’ mistakes. He then lays out a plan for a lifelong marriage that is strong and healthy. Couples will learn how to avoid repeating the mistakes that often lead to divorce.

Your citizenship interview to become a U.S. citizen may be stressful, but the most important thing is to answer each question honestly and to do whatever the USCIS officer asks you to do. Even though you might be nervous, remember that the officer sees scores of immigrants every day, and has probably seen everything. If you are polite, respectful, honest and forthcoming, you aren’t likely to have any problems.

The USCIS officer will not be impressed by lavish compliments or pro-U.S. statements, so don’t bother. Nervous immigrants often think that if they act like they think the officer wants them to act, they’ll be more likely to get approved. Quite the opposite, USCIS officers are more impressed by applicants who answer each question as briefly and succinctly as possible, without overdoing it. Even worse, sumptuous statements that have nothing to do with the interview might make the officer think that you have something to cover up.

The decision to become a United States citizen is one of the most important choices you can ever make. Before you can become a U.S. citizen, however, you first must be a lawful permanent resident of the U.S. For this reason, before you begin the process, you need to know what you want to achieve – legal immigration or naturalization – and if you can expect to qualify for it.

Becoming a U.S. citizen carries important duties and responsibilities as well as rights, rewards, and privileges. Before you make the decision to pursue U.S. citizenship, you need to be aware of what you stand to lose and what you stand to gain; you also need to be sure you’re ready to fulfill all the obligations of a good citizen. U.S. Citizenship For Dummieswill help you understand all that it means to become a citizen of the United States of America.

Related posts:

1. The US Citizenship Application Package The US Citizenship Test: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is a division of the Department of Homeland Security....
2. Divorce and Citizenship Application Will divorce hurt citizenship application? U.S. citizenship is either granted through birth (or relatives) or through the naturalization process. U.S....
3. Questions About Citizenship Where Can I Get a Citizenship Application? You can apply for U.S. citizenship after you have lived in the U.S....
4. Immigration Lawyer Fraud There is a substantial “mail-order bride” business in the United States. With approximately 200 companies in the United States, an...
5. What is US Citizenship? Citizenship is a complex concept that can be defined in many ways. Youth tend to define it as acting appropriately,...

Tags: Adjustment Of Status, Adjustment Of Status Interview, Areas Of Law, Citizenship And Immigration, Citizenship And Immigration Services, Citizenship Services, Immigration And Citizenship, Immigration Court, Immigration Judge, Immigration Law, Immigration Procedures, Minor Mistakes, New Application, Political Prosecution, Removal Proceedings, S Citizenship And Immigration Services, Section 245, U S Citizenship And Immigration Services, United States Immigration, Uscis