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16 03, 2023

8 Common Reasons to Hire an Immigration Lawyer in Chicago

By |2023-03-16T09:02:18-05:00March 16th, 2023|Categories: General|

Immigrants make up more than ten percent of the United States population. Immigrants aren't the only people who might need legal advice from an immigration attorney, either. Let's go through the most common reasons for hiring an immigration lawyer in Chicago. 1. Applying for a Green Card or Citizenship A green card (a nickname for a Permanent Resident Card), is a document issued by the government that allows a person to live and work permanently in the United States. A green card grants the holder certain rights and privileges. These include the ability to apply for a driver's license and open bank [...]

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12 02, 2023

6 Ways a Chicago Immigration Lawyer Can Help You

By |2023-02-20T08:34:15-06:00February 12th, 2023|Categories: General|

The United States of America is a country built on immigration. Even today, the country attracts more immigrants than anywhere else in the world. More than one million people come from other countries to the US each year. But immigration can be a tricky issue. There are all kinds of hurdles that need to be clear and these can be highly confusing to the average Joe. That's why it's a good idea to hire a Chicago immigration attorney if you're looking to navigate the process successfully. Want to find out more about the way an immigration law firm in Chicago can help? [...]

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14 11, 2022

When the Worlds of Marijuana, State Law and U.S. Immigration Meet: Yes Means No

By |2022-11-20T13:31:43-06:00November 14th, 2022|Categories: Citizenship / Naturalization and the N-400 Application, General, Green Cards, Non-Immigrant Visas for Temporary Workers / H-1B|

By:  Richard Hanus, Esq. Published November 14, 2022 Mixed signals.  This is the best way to describe our society’s stance when it comes to marijuana use and U.S. immigration law.  Our state laws send one message, such as in Illinois where marijuana use and distribution is now legal.   Our federal laws though send a completely opposite message, prohibiting these very same activities. When it comes to applying for a Green Card or U.S. citizenship – immigration benefits rooted in federal law – an admission you smoked or distributed weed, including pursuant to authority under state law, can crazily lead to application denial.  Even worse, you might [...]

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11 09, 2022

Reasons Why Your Green Card Got Denied – Chicago Immigration Attorney

By |2022-09-11T11:45:11-05:00September 11th, 2022|Categories: General|

United States immigration laws are notoriously complex. In addition to the plain bases of ineligibility, even a minor mistake on your green card application can lead to a denial. In fact, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) denies thousands of green card applications each year. In 2021, UCSIS denied over 25 percent of the petitions they received. If your green card application was denied or delayed, a Chicago immigration attorney can help. The average foreign national, or even U.S. born American, will have limited knowledge of U.S. immigration law, and that includes our nation's specific rules, procedures and applications. [...]

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24 08, 2022

Lawsuits Against U.S. Immigration Can Work, Especially When a File is Stuck in a Government Basement

By |2022-08-26T07:37:24-05:00August 24th, 2022|Categories: Citizenship / Naturalization and the N-400 Application, General|

By:  Richard Hanus, Esq. Published August 24, 2022 When it comes to a long delayed immigration filing, such as for U.S. citizenship or permanent residence, the decision to sue the government to compel a decision can be a tough one.  Importantly, a lawsuit in this context is not to compel an approval on an application, although that’s what any applicant would hope for.  Instead, the lawsuit is simply a request with a federal judge to push the process along and force the reviewing government agency to do their job and give the applicant  a decision, any decision.   The first questions almost every applicant asks themselves are: Why [...]

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10 08, 2022

Green Card Interviews – Why Are They Required? Are They Ever Excused?

By |2022-08-12T07:17:05-05:00August 10th, 2022|Categories: General, Green Cards|

By:  Richard Hanus, Esq. Published August 10, 2022 With some exceptions, foreign nationals seeking to live and work permanently in the U.S. will undergo some sort of interview before being approved for lawful permanent status, aka Green Card status.  If the applicant is overseas, the process culminates with an ”immigrant visa interview” conducted by a U.S. Department of State official at a U.S. consular post in the applicant’s country of residence. If the applicant is present in the U.S. and meets eligibility requirements for consideration, an “adjustment of status” interview will take place before a U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Citizenship and Immigration [...]

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18 07, 2022

I am a U.S. Citizen Residing Abroad But Soon Relocating to the U.S. – How Do My Foreign National Spouse and Child Get Green Cards ASAP?

By |2022-07-19T07:23:53-05:00July 18th, 2022|Categories: General, Immigrant Visas for Spouse / Fiancee / Child Visas|

By:  Richard Hanus, Esq. Published July 18, 2022 U.S. citizens live and work all over the world and many of them will face substantial bureaucratic hurdles when it comes to relocating back to the U.S.  One of the most common hurdles involves navigating the U.S. immigration process for their foreign national spouse, child and/or stepchild and trying to minimize any period of separation.  How do I bring my family back to the U.S. with me to live and as soon as possible? Questions related to this relocation scenario are among the most urgent concerns returning expats present. First, the basics.  Facilitating lawful permanent [...]

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23 06, 2022

The Dog Ate My Homework OR U.S. Immigration Can’t Process My Citizenship Application Because My File is Stuck in a Government Warehouse Basement

By |2022-07-18T19:31:14-05:00June 23rd, 2022|Categories: Citizenship / Naturalization and the N-400 Application, General|

By:  Richard Hanus, Esq. Published June 23, 2022 Over the course of the pandemic, people in the U.S. and around the world have gotten used to all kinds of inconveniences and delays.  There is a new normal out there and we humans have by and large learned to adapt and adjust our expectations.  The world of U.S. immigration and agency processing of applications such as for green cards and US citizenship is no exception, and delays related to both the pandemic and the previous administration’s neglect of our legal immigration system continue to rear their ugly head. In general, foreign nationals present [...]

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28 05, 2022

4 Essential Q & A’s on One of the Most Important Defenses to Deportation

By |2022-05-28T14:05:27-05:00May 28th, 2022|Categories: General, Removal / Deportation Proceedings and Court Hearings|

By:  Richard Hanus, Esq. Published May 28, 2022 For foreign nationals living in the U.S. for an extended period without immigration status, one of the most often used and potent defenses to deportation is an Application for Cancellation of Removal for Nonpermanent Residents (FORM EOIR-42B).  Whether they overstayed their visa or entered the U.S. without inspection, an undocumented foreign national who meets certain eligibility requirements may qualify for Cancellation of Removal, an avenue for relief that leads to green card issuance.  The ultimate decisionmaker on this type of application is the Immigration Judge presiding over removal proceedings, and with a U.S. Department [...]

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3 05, 2022

EAD Backlog: Immigration Authorities Implement Practical Fix for a Pressing Problem

By |2022-05-05T08:42:47-05:00May 3rd, 2022|Categories: Employment Authorization / Work Cards in the U.S., General|

By:  Richard Hanus, Esq. Published May 3, 2022 Up until a few years ago, the renewal of Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) for foreign nationals residing in the U.S. was rarely a matter of news or drama.  These days though, EAD holders and their employers are facing way too much challenge when it comes to following the law.  What should be a boring, routine process for our legal immigration system has turned into one that all too often involves  crisis. First, the system is now facing an accumulated backlog of 1.5 million EAD applications.  Additionally, foreign nationals are facing impossibly long processing times – more [...]

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