Latest news with #I-485
Time Business News
12-08-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
Navigating Your Future Together: Why You Need a Marriage Green Card Lawyer
marriage green card lawyer Achieving an Green Card through marriage is an important step in who want to build a new future with America. United States. Though the process might appear easy on paper, in reality this U.S. immigration system is notorious for its complexity. Many find this to be when the knowledge of a committed legal professional for marriage becomes a vital advantage. An experienced lawyer can help transform what could be a stressful and confusing process into a smooth and effective one, while ensuring that your application is full but also persuasive. A seasoned marriage green card lawyer will guide you through each step beginning with initial paperwork and ending with the final meeting. They will help you select the best path for you for you, whether that's an adjustment of status for spouses who are already reside in their home country of the U.S. or Consular Processing for foreigners. Their knowledge of the complex rules in Forms I-130, I-485, and DS-260 can be invaluable in ensuring the most crucial information is not missed. Attention to detail will prevent the common mistakes that cause delays or, sometimes, complete rejections. Beyond the formalities A lawyer can help you create a strong case giving you the necessary documents needed to show that your marriage to be 'bona fide.' It is a crucial element of the marriage-based green card applications. Financial proof: Bank accounts, credit cards shared as well as joint tax return. Bank accounts, credit cards shared as well as joint tax return. The proof of residence is a lease agreement or utility bills. Also, real estate deeds proving cohabitation. is a lease agreement or utility bills. Also, real estate deeds proving cohabitation. Sharing Life: Birth certificates for children, photographs taken together throughout time, and journey plans. Birth certificates for children, photographs taken together throughout time, and journey plans. Affidavits: Authentic statements made by relatives and friends who confirm the validity of your connection. By enlisting the help of a lawyer, you'll have the ability to put together a robust and well-organized set of proof that eliminates doubt as to the validity of your union. The process to obtain green cards is usually filled with obstacles, and a knowledgeable legal counsel for marriage is the best way to defend yourself. One of the biggest problems is showing that you have financial sponsorship. A U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident spouse has to prove that they are able to support the application through meeting the specific requirements for income. If they do not meet these requirements legal counsel can manage the process of locating and submitting a joint sponsor to ensure the essential requirement is met without any issues. The final stage, which is an USCIS interview, is often daunting. Lawyers are required to fully prepare you and your spouse by practicing potential questions while making sure you feel at ease and prepared. If the USCIS have concerns regarding the wedding, they could organize an additional 'Stokes interview.' An attorney on the side of you to help prepare for a thorough interview can make all the difference in protecting your rights while guaranteeing a fair and transparent process. A marriage green card lawyer manages the legal issues and deadlines and works with immigration officials on your behalf. Partnering with a trusted company such as AKN Immigration, you gain an advocate who is dedicated to helping you navigate the challenges of immigration so you can fulfill the American goal. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
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Business Standard
11-08-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
US green card age rule change: How it may hit children, H-1B visa holders
A recent change by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will narrow the eligibility for children to remain on their parent's green card application, affecting thousands of immigrant families — including many on H-1B visas. From August 15, 2025, adjustment of status applications will be assessed under a stricter standard. Children turning 21 before approval will lose eligibility unless they qualify under the revised Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) calculation. How the rule has changed Under the Biden administration's February 2023 policy, USCIS used the more generous 'dates for filing' chart to decide if a child's age could be frozen under the CSPA, giving families extra time. From August 15, the agency will revert to the 'final action dates' chart — a less favourable benchmark that often shortens the protection window. 'The Immigration and Nationality Act defines a child as a person who is both unmarried and under 21 years old,' USCIS explained in its announcement. 'If someone applies for lawful permanent resident status as a child but turns 21 before being approved, that person can no longer be considered a child for immigration purposes. This is commonly referred to as 'ageing out'.' USCIS said Congress had created the CSPA in 2002 to address backlogs causing children to lose eligibility before their case was decided. The law allows an age calculation — the 'CSPA age' — that can keep a child under 21 for immigration purposes even after their actual birthday, but only if they remain unmarried. Why this matters for Indian families The change will hit the Indian diaspora particularly hard. India has one of the world's longest waits for an employment-based green card, with backlogs stretching into decades. A March 2023 analysis by David J. Bier, director of immigration studies at the Cato Institute, found a queue of 1.07 million Indians in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories. Bier projected that nearly 134,000 children in these families could age out before a green card becomes available — a figure that could now rise under the revised calculation. How the CSPA works For employment-based green card cases, several conditions must be met for a child to remain eligible: • The I-140 petition must be approved • The I-485 adjustment of status application must be filed • The priority date must be current • The child must be under 21 after subtracting the time the I-140 was pending For example, if an I-140 was pending for one year, that year is deducted from the child's age. The same principle applies in family-based cases using the I-130 petition. Impact of the new calculation 'This means that some children, even with a filed I-485, could lose eligibility if they turn 21 before the final action date is current,' said Reddy Neumann, a US-based immigration attorney. 'This change essentially reverts the policy to how it was before the more flexible approach in recent years.' Neumann added, 'Once a child's age is locked in under CSPA, no further worry is needed. But for those not yet protected, timing is crucial. While it's possible to file the I-485 with a pending I-140, the age lock-in only occurs when the I-140 is approved and the final action date is current.' Doug Rand, a former Department of Homeland Security official who worked on the 2023 policy, called the change unnecessary. 'It's such a petty and obnoxious thing to do. Of course, the Trump administration is causing fear and heartbreak at a massive scale, across the immigration system, and this may seem like a small thing in the grand scheme,' he said. What should applicants do? Attorneys may consider strategies such as adjusting premium processing timelines to maximise the pending period of an I-140, which can benefit age calculations. 'This is a case-by-case decision that should be carefully planned with legal advice,' said Neuman
Newsweek
30-06-2025
- General
- Newsweek
US Immigration Service Announces Change From July 1: What to Know
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) plans to change its text alert number beginning July 1. Why It Matters The agency is set to discontinue sending text alerts from the number 468-311, also known as GOV-311. Going forward, applicants are expected to receive text messages from a new number: 872466, which stands for USA-IMM, short for "U.S.A. Immigration." This change is important for anyone who receives text updates from USCIS, such as case status alerts and appointment reminders. USCIS recommends saving its new number to your contacts to help avoid confusion or mistaking official messages for spam. An information packet and an American flag on a chair ahead of a naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Miami Field Office on August 17, 2018. An information packet and an American flag on a chair ahead of a naturalization ceremony at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Miami Field Office on August 17, 2018. Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo What To Know USCIS mainly uses text alerts to reach applicants who have chosen to receive electronic notifications. This option, available through Form G-1145, lets applicants receive case updates by text and email. These messages usually include the receipt number and details on how to track their case status online. USCIS said the change was intended to make messages easier to identify and to strengthen public confidence. Form G-1145, officially called E-Notification of Application/Petition Acceptance, is an optional form provided by USCIS that allows applicants to receive text and email updates when their application or petition has been accepted. While it does not grant any immigration benefit on its own, many applicants attach it to forms—such as the I-485, which is used to apply for a green card—to receive quicker confirmation that their paperwork has been received. The form helps applicants track their case by providing a receipt number and instructions for checking status updates online. In another change earlier this month, USCIS said it would require every new permanent residency application to have a renewed medical examination form. Applicants were previously allowed to use the same forms indefinitely. In March, sudden changes to a range of application forms created confusion among applicants, prompting a lawsuit from immigration attorneys and leading USCIS to reverse course and provide at least a two-week transition period for the new forms to take effect. Applicants should also remain cautious of scams. USCIS would never ask for payment or passwords via text message. If you receive suspicious messages claiming to be from USCIS, do not respond. Instead, report the message through the official USCIS website to help protect yourself and others from fraud. What People Are Saying United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced: "Effective July 1, 2025, USCIS will no longer send text (SMS) messages from the phone number 468-311 (GOV-311). Our new number will be 872466 (USAIMM)." What Happens Next USCIS recommends that users add the new number to their contacts and disregard any texts from the old number beginning July 1.
