You may enter the United State on either an immigrant or a non-immigrant visa, depending on your future plans. However, plans change all the time; even if you planned to return to your home country, you may find yourself in need of an adjustment of status to allow you to remain permanently. In this video, attorney Holly LaMarche explains the immigration process for permanent residents and those who entered the county on temporary visas.
Video Transcription
"I have used Galloway Jefcoat a few times and have always been very satisfied. Furthermore, all of the people who work there are very professional, nice, and courteous."
There’s two ways you can come into the United States. Either on an immigrant or a non-immigrant visa. Non-immigrant visa means that your intention is to come and to return back to your home country. An immigrant visa means you’re coming to stay, that you’re going to make United States your residence or your domicile. So, when you’re adjusting your status, you enter into this country with the intention of returning back to your country. But, while being in this country something changed. It could be you came on a work visa and you got married. Or it could have been you came on a temporary work visa and decided to take a permanent position. So, when you do that you have to go back to USCIS. Which is United States Citizen Immigration Services. And request for your status to be changed or adjusted. The form I-485 needs to be filed with the company. Documentation and evidence. Every case is different. It depends if you’re doing adjusted status for a work visa, or for marriage purposes. But essentially there’s always the 485 that’s filed. It’s filed nationally and then it’s relocated here, to the New Orleans office. Which is the closest immigration office to us.
"Galloway Jefcoat helped me at a time when I felt lost and taken advantage of by my employer."