Immigrants come to the United States for opportunities. Often, they enter the country for marriage or to reconnect with family members. Obtaining a family immigration visa provides an opportunity to legally enter the country.
People who wish to stay indefinitely may need to prepare to adjust their legal status. Visas are typically only eligible for a specific number of renewals, meaning that they only offer temporary legal protection. Adjustment of status is a critical step for those who want to become citizens or want to limit their chances of removal from the United States.
What happens when an immigrant seeks to adjust their status?
The goal is to obtain a green card
Adjusting one’s status is a complex legal process. It involves submitting paperwork to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The visa holder applying has to show that they meet all of the necessary criteria for a green card.
They need to have lived in the country for years. In many cases, they need to limit their international travel prior to adjusting their status. They also need to be able to pass a background check that looks at certain types of criminal activity, including drug-related offenses, violent crimes and crimes of moral turpitude.
Provided that an immigrant qualifies, they can obtain a green card. They adjust their status to become a permanent, lawful resident of the United States.
What makes a green card beneficial?
Lawful permanent residents are subject to fewer restrictions on their economic activity than immigrants with visas. They have opportunities to help their loved ones immigrate. Unlike visas, green cards are eligible for as many renewals as are necessary based on the length of the permanent resident’s life.
They can continue renewing their green card every 10 years indefinitely until they die. For many people, obtaining a green card is the ultimate goal of their immigration journey. For others, status adjustment is merely a stepping stone on the path to naturalized citizenship.
Immigrants hoping to adjust their status may need help filling out the necessary paperwork and validating that they meet the necessary criteria for a green card, and that’s okay. Learning more about different immigration options can help people take the right steps to ensure that they can continue to lawfully reside in the United States.