Columbus, GA Immigration Law Firms & Lawyers

No, it isn't true. If you are a U.S. citizen, and the immigrant petition that you are going to file will be approved, your sister will not get an immigrant visa for quite a few years. Only 65000 immigrant visas are given every year to brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens. Since many more people apply, there is a backlog. Besides, since a disproportionately large numbers of immigrant petitions are filed for citizens of China, India, Mexico, and Philippines, these citizens of these countries have their own, separate queues. Now, brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens who filed visa petitions in February 2001 are getting their visas (the queue for Mexicans is backed up to June 1996, for Philippines - to February 1989). So, if you file a petition for your sister tomorrow, she will have to wait for her visa about 11 years (or 16 years if she is a citizen of Mexico, or 23 years - if she is from the Philippines).

What exactly was the conviction of your husband? What country is he a citizen of *E-2 Treaty Investor Visa Petition* An E-2 Visa is one of the nicest working visas as it allows you to run your own business, and while it periodically needs to be renewed, you can stay here in the U.S. as long as you like on the E-2. Normally, this type of E-2 Visa would require and investment of $50,000 to $100,000U.S. to successfully process. The more capital investment that is required for the business, the higher the investment. Additionally, your spouse and unmarried children under 21 years old can come as beneficiaries to your approved E-2. Your children will be able to go to school in the U.S. without having to get a separate student visa (as long as they are not in college.) The spouse will be permitted to apply for a work permit to work anywhere in the United States. A great deal of the success of the E-2 Petition is how it is prepared. The higher the investment, , the easier it is to get approved. The type of company that would either be purchased or the type of company that would start from scratch is wide open depending on what you would like to do. This petition is usually 2-4 inches thick. It consists of the petition itself, the complex business plan with numerous charts and figures, and if needed, the incorporation papers. Once submitted directly to the Consulate, it takes between one and three months for approval. It can also be submitted to U.S. Immigration for a change of status. The price below consists of preparation of the E-2 Petition, the complex Business Plan and the incorporation charges. My firm can also do the incorporation of the business in the U.S. It is more than simply preparing the Articles of Incorporation as immigration requires many other documents such as the Stock Transfer Ledger, Stock Certificates, Bylaws, Notice of Meetings among other items. *Nonimmigrant Waiver of Inadmissibility* A Waiver of Inadmissibility will have to be obtained. This is an application that will include a legal brief, forms, documents, exhibits, declarations and other evidence. It will take several months for the decision, and if done correctly, there is a good chance of an approval. The Waiver essentially makes the crime or ground of ineligibility disappear so that entry or re-entry will be allowed into the U.S. Please note that the Waiver is the critical part of this application, and unless approved, there cannot be any other petition that will allow entry into the U.S. Therefore, the Waiver must be prepared with significant supporting documents.

Significantly more information is needed in order to provide a legal analysis of ways your husband may be able to attain immigration benefits for your husband. This includes, for example, information about your own immigration status (Are you a U.S. citizen? Are you a Permanent Resident? Do you have some other status?); information about your husband (How and when did he enter the U.S.? What is his current immigration status? What immigration-related applications every before have been filed by or for him?); Etc. There really is no substitute for you and your husband to consult with an immigration attorney who, after learning all of the relevant information, could advise about eligibilities, options and strategies to attain your goals, and who then could offer legal representation in the often complex application process.