Immigration & Naturalization

United States immigration law is complex and widely misunderstood. The body of law governing current immigration policy is the Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA). The INA sets an annual worldwide limit of 675,000 permanent immigrants, with exceptions for close family members and refugee admissions. U.S. immigration policy rests on four principles: reuniting families, admitting immigrants with skills that are valuable to the U.S. economy, protecting refugees, and promoting diversity.

The family-based immigration category allows U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) to bring certain family members to the United States. There are 480,000 family-based visas available each year. Family-based immigrants are admitted either as immediate relatives of U.S. citizens or through the family preference system.

The United States provides various ways for immigrants with valuable skills to come to the country on either a permanent or a temporary basis. There are more than 20 types of visas for temporary nonimmigrant workers, many of them for highly skilled workers. Temporary workers are usually sponsored by a specific employer for a specific job offer, and many of the temporary categories have numerical limits. Permanent employment-based immigration is set at 140,000 visas per year, divided among five preferences, each subject to numerical limits and per-country limits.

In order to qualify for U.S. citizenship through naturalization, an individual must generally have had LPR status (a green card) for at least five years. The period is three years for those who obtained their green card through a U.S.-citizen spouse or through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). Members of the U.S. military who serve during wartime or declared hostilities have exceptions. Applicants must be at least 18 years old, demonstrate continuous residency and "good moral character," pass English and U.S. history and civics exams, and pay an application fee, among other requirements.

Please contact either Jeff or Matt if you have questions about the immigration process.

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