#SolomonIslands Fun Fact = “The world’s largest salt water lagoon – Marovo Lagoon is situated in New Georgia, Solomon Islands.” See more here.
See you Friday for #FlagNo116!
Can you guess which country #FlagNo115 is from?
The answer to #FlagNo115 will be posted on Monday!
**The dedicated NYC immigration attorneys at The Shapiro Law Firm, LLC, have represented clients from over 100 countries across the globe. Click here to see for more countries that our clients come from or Contact Us to learn more.**
#Kazakhstan Fun Fact = “Berkutchi, or hunting with eagles, is an ancient sport still practiced in Kazakhstan. Hunters train golden eagles or falcons to sight and capture such prey as rabbits, foxes, and smaller birds. The hunters are also called berkutchi and they believe they have to keep their first kill for one year to get good luck.” See more here.
See you Friday for #FlagNo115!
Can you guess which country #FlagNo114 is from?
The answer to #FlagNo114 will be posted on Monday!
**The dedicated NYC immigration attorneys at The Shapiro Law Firm, LLC, have represented clients from over 100 countries across the globe. Click here to see for more countries that our clients come from or Contact Us to learn more.**
On April 24, 2018, the D.C. District Courtgave the Trump Administration 90 days to provide a better explanation of the decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The Court further stated that if the government did not provide an adequate reason at the end of the 90-day period, it would rule that the decision by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to terminate DACA was arbitrary and capricious, and thus DHS would be ordered to resume the DACA program in full (i.e., to start accepting initial DACA applications again, along with the renewal applications that are still being accepted.)
The government has 20 days to decide if they are going to appeal this decision. If no appeal is taken in 20 days (from August 3, 2018), DHS must resume the DACA program in full across the nation. This means it will continue to accept renewal applications AND must resume accepting initial applications.
BUT KEEP IN MIND...there is still pending litigation in other courts that can have an effect on the DACA program, including a lawsuit filed by several states in a Texas Federal Court that claims DACA is unconstitutional. An adverse ruling in another court would mean that a potential showdown over the fate of DACA is likely to end up in the Supreme Court of the United States.
For now, provided there is no appeal taken from the D.C. District Court’s ruling, the DACA program should be reinstated in full on August 23, 2018. Check back here for additional updates on DACA.
Do not wait to find out if DACA will stay in place. Contact us today to find out if there is a path to legal immigration status for you!
Find us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, and check back at theshapirolawyers.com, for updates on DACA!
Note: “Attorney Advertising” The information contained in this web site is intended to convey general information. It should not be construed as legal advice or opinion. It is not an offer to represent you, nor is it intended to create an attorney-client relationship. Any email sent via the Internet using email addresses listed in this web site would not be confidential and would not create an attorney-client relationship.
#Iran Fun Fact = “It is customary to bring flowers or pastries to your host when visiting someone in Iran.” See more here.
See you Friday for #FlagNo114!
Can you guess which country #FlagNo113 is from?
The answer to #FlagNo113 will be posted on Monday!
**The dedicated NYC immigration attorneys at The Shapiro Law Firm, LLC, have represented clients from over 100 countries across the globe. Click here to see for more countries that our clients come from or Contact Us to learn more.**
Transcript: Hi, I am Attorney Shaffer, today on “What You Really Want to Know,” we answer the question, “Am I eligible to become a U.S. Citizen?”
If you are a Lawful Permanent Resident and meet all of the eligibility requirements for Naturalization, then yes, you are eligible to become a U.S. Citizen.
Let’s take a look at these requirements:
1. Years as a Permanent Resident. You must have been a Permanent Resident for the required amount of time. Most people will need to have a Green Card for 5 years before they are eligible for naturalization. Asylees only need 4 years, and if you obtained your Green Card through marriage to a U.S. Citizen and you are still married and living with that U.S. Citizen, then you only need to wait 3 years after becoming a Permanent Resident.
2. Applicant’s age. You must be at least 18-years-old to apply for Naturalization.
3. Continuous Residency. You must have been continuously residing in the U.S. for a least 5 years before you file. There is one exception, and that is for spouses of U.S. Citizens, who need 3 years of continuous residency.
4. Physical Presence. You must have been physically present in the U.S. for least 30 months out of the 5 years immediately preceding the filing of your application. Again, there is an exception for a spouse of U.S. Citizen, who only needs to have been physically present for 18 months out of the 3 years immediately preceding the filing.
5. Good Moral Character. You must be a person of good moral character to be eligible for Naturalization. There are many factors that go into determining if you have good moral character and the immigration officer has wide discretion in deciding if you do in fact do, and they get to look back 5 years (immediately preceding the filing of your application). An experienced immigration attorney can help you determine if you will have any problem meeting this requirement, and therefore should wait to file for your naturalization.
6. No disqualifying crimes. Unlike the good moral character requirement, there is no time period for the look back at your criminal history. There are certain crimes that will forever render you ineligible for Naturalization. If you have any criminal history, it is highly recommended that you contact an experienced immigration attorney to ensure that your criminal history will not disqualify you. The last thing you want when you are waiting for an approval notice in the mail, is instead of an approval notice, is a Notice to Appear in Immigration Court. USCIS does have the authority to place you in Removal/ Deportation Proceedings if they realize that you committed a crime at anytime that renders you deportable.
7. English Literacy. You are not allowed a translator for your Naturalization interview. You also must prove you can read and write in English, and finally;
8. Knowledge of U.S. History and Civics. You must pass the U.S. History and Civics test at the interview. You will be asked 10 questions and you have to get at least 6 correct.
Becoming a U.S. Citizen is exciting, but it is crucial to ensure that you meet all of the eligibility requirements before you file the application for Naturalization. This will help you prevent delay, denial, headaches and further expense.
Contact the experienced immigration attorneys at The Shapiro Law Firm, LLC, today to make sure that you meet all of the requirements and to assist you in filing for Naturalization.
That is all for this episode of “What You Really Want to Know,” thanks for watching!
**Attorney Advertising** Please be advised that that all information provided above is general in nature and does not create an attorney-client relationship.**Attorney Advertising**
#CentralAfricanRepublic Fun Fact = “The Central African Republic is home to about 3,600 species of plants, 663 birds, 131 mammals, 187 reptiles, and 29 amphibians.” See more here.
See you Friday for #FlagNo113!
Can you guess which country #FlagNo112 is from?
The answer to #FlagNo112 will be posted on Monday!
**The dedicated NYC immigration attorneys at The Shapiro Law Firm, LLC, have represented clients from over 100 countries across the globe. Click here to see for more countries that our clients come from or Contact Us to learn more.**
#Jordan Fun Fact = “One of the quaintest facts about Jordan is that it is considered polite to refuse the offer of a meal three times before finally accepting.” See more here.
See you Friday for #FlagNo112!
Can you guess which country #FlagNo111 is from?
The answer to #FlagNo111 will be posted on Monday!
**The dedicated NYC immigration attorneys at The Shapiro Law Firm, LLC, have represented clients from over 100 countries across the globe. Click here to see for more countries that our clients come from or Contact Us to learn more.**
Navigating the complex immigration laws to obtain legal status in this country has never been an easy task. The Trump administration has just made it harder and increased the chance that you will be penalized if your filings are not correct when you first submit it. Starting September 11, 2018, USCIS will be following new policy guidance that instructs the agency to deny visa applications without giving the applicant a change to submit additional evidence to establish eligibility. This means that if you do not submit everything that you need initially, you will not have a chance to fix your mistakes and your application will be denied. You will have to re-file in order to obtain the benefit sought, or even worse, you will be placed in Removal/ Deportation Proceedings, pursuant to other recently-released policy changes that instructs immigration officers to issue Notices to Appear (NTA) in Immigration Court to anyone whose application is denied and who is unlawfully present in the United States (this includes both individuals who entered the country illegally and individuals who are out of status, such as those who overstayed their visa).
Since 2013, USCIS policy guidance instructed adjudicators to issue Requests for Evidence (RFE) or Notices of Intent to Deny (NOID) when an application or petition for an immigration benefit was submitted without all of the required evidence. This gave applicants an opportunity to submit additional evidence (within a certain time period) to establish eligibility before the application was denied. Applicants who failed to respond to the RFE or NOID in the given time period, or whose response still failed to establish eligibility, had their applications denied.
Starting September 11, 2018, if all initial required evidence is not submitted with the benefit request, USCIS may deny your request without issuing a RFE or NOID. Examples of these denials given by USCIS in the press release include, waiver of inadmissiblity applications submitted with little or no supporting evidence and failing to submit a properly completed Form I-864, Affidavit of Support with a Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status, when it is required by law. Previously it was standard to issue RFEs in these cases, now the applications will simply be denied.
The experienced immigration attorneys at The Shapiro Law Firm have helped countless clients successfully respond to RFEs and NOIDs, preventing them from the delay and expense that comes with re-filing immigration applications. We have also prevented clients from being placed in removal/ deportation proceedings who would otherwise have been.
Although we have always recommended contacting us to assist you with your initial filing, rather than waiting to find out you did something wrong, it is now CRUCIAL that you contact us before filing, especially if you are in the country illegally or are out of status. You may not be given a second chance to correct your mistake and/ or establish eligiblity. Instead, you may find yourself in Immigration Court, facing possible deportation.
Hiring an experienced immigration attorney to assist you from the beginning of your immigration process has always been the key to preventing unnecessary delay and cost. We always make sure that our clients’ filings are correct and complete before mailing them off to USCIS. But now, failing to submit all of the required evidence up front can mean not just denial, but possible deportation.
DO NOT WAIT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE! Contact us today to get help with your immigration filings so that you can rest easy knowing that your immigration filing is correct and complete!
Note: “Attorney Advertising” The information contained in this web site is intended to convey general information. It should not be construed as legal advice or opinion. It is not an offer to represent you, nor is it intended to create an attorney-client relationship. Any email sent via the Internet using email addresses listed in this web site would not be confidential and would not create an attorney-client relationship.
#DemocraticRepublicOfCongo Fun Fact = “Taking pictures is ill advised. Locals get very upset, for they believe that “capturing a person’s image” removes his spirit.” See more here.
See you Friday for #FlagNo111!
Can you guess which country #FlagNo110 is from?
The answer to #FlagNo110 will be posted on Monday!
**The dedicated NYC immigration attorneys at The Shapiro Law Firm, LLC, have represented clients from over 100 countries across the globe. Click here to see for more countries that our clients come from or Contact Us to learn more.**
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