Top Goodyear, AZ Immigration Lawyers Near You

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Do You Have Immigration Needs?

Immigration law affects the lives of many people living in the United States. People may come to the U.S. from other countries to find work, educational opportunities, or a safer environment. Family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents may want to come to the U.S. on a family visa to be with their families. Immigrants without legal status may get caught up in immigration issues when facing deportation. Immigrant visas and U.S. immigration law enforcement come under the authority of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The immigration process in the U.S. can be confusing and they are often changing. Many people turn to a local Arizona immigration attorney to help them through the process.

Different Types of Immigration Cases

There are many different types of immigration matters, including people who want to permanently come to the U.S., temporary visitors in the country, and people who are already in the country but without legal status. For individuals who want an immigration visa to get naturalization or U.S. citizenship, immigration generally involves applying for permanent status.

How Can I Get a Green Card and Citizenship?

There are different ways to apply for residency, including through family, employment, business immigration, entrepreneur investment, asylum-seekers, refugees, victims of abuse (VAWA), and the diversity visa lottery. The application process under U.S. nationality law can take time. After coming to the U.S. as a lawful permanent resident (LPR), the resident has to wait a certain amount of time, spend enough time in the country, and be of good moral character to get naturalized and become a citizen.

Nonimmigrant Visas

Temporary visitors may come to the U.S. for education, medical care, work opportunities, or just for tourism. Temporary visitors may still need a visa to get into the country. However, visitors from certain countries can come into the U.S. without a visa if they qualify under the visa waiver program. There are also nonimmigrant visas that allow someone to stay in the U.S., such as the U visa for crime victims who cooperate with law enforcement.

Immigrants Without Legal Status

There are millions of people in the U.S. who do not have lawful immigration status. If immigration enforcement finds someone in the U.S. without a valid visa or permanent residency, they may be deported or removed from the country. Immigrants in removal proceedings may be able to use a deportation defense to continue to stay in the country until they have a chance to appear with legal representation before an immigration judge.

What Happens to Your Immigration If You’re Arrested in Goodyear?

If you are not a naturalized U.S. citizen, an arrest could jeopardize your green card or visa. If you are arrested, it is important to speak with a criminal defense attorney who understands the immigration consequences of a guilty plea or guilty verdict. Certain crimes make someone ineligible for immigration. Certain types of crimes can also be deportable offenses.

How Do I Get a Family Member Out of Detention?

Some immigrants without legal status can end up living and working in the U.S. for years. However, being in the wrong place at the wrong time can lead to detention, deportation, and removal proceedings. Deportation can happen very quickly when the immigrant is not sure of their legal rights. Using an immigration law firm with a strong deportation defense can help an immigrant get out of detention and even get temporary or permanent status in the U.S.

What sort of issues can I seek legal help with?

Specialized legal help is available for most legal issues. Each case is unique; seeking legal help is a smart first step toward understanding your legal situation and seeking the best path toward resolution for your case. An experienced lawyer understands the local laws surrounding your case and what your best legal options might be. More importantly, there are certain situations and circumstances – such as being charged with a crime – where you should always seek experienced legal help.

Tips on Approaching an Initial Attorney Consultation

• Use the consultation as a means of gaining a better understanding of your legal situation.
• Ask the attorney how many cases similar to yours he/she has handled. An attorney’s experience and knowledge can speak to their expertise (or lack of) in addressing your situation.
• Your attorney should be able to articulate roughly how long a case like yours will take to resolve and what sort of procedures to expect.
• Determine how comfortable you are working with the lawyer and/or law firm.

Does firm size matter?

For most consumer legal issues, the size of the practice is much less important than the experience, competence, and reputation of the attorney(s) handling your case. Among the most important factors when choosing an attorney are your comfort level with the attorney or practice and the attorney’s track record in bringing about quick, successful resolutions to cases similar to yours.

Common legal terms explained

Affidavit – A sworn written statement made under oath. An affidavit is meant to be a supporting document to the court assisting in the verification of certain facts. An affidavit may or may not require notarization.