Marriage based legal residency applications: Birth Certificates.

Last week, I wrote a piece on the number of these cases we have been seeing at our monthly clinics. In addition to certified records of any criminal offenses you may have committed overseas, another item you need from ‘home’ will be your long form birth certificate. This is not to be confused with the short form one which does not list the immigrant/applicant parents. You will need a copy of the original long form one for USCIS. Anyone who has been divorced will have to provide a copy of the final divorce certificate (‘decree absolute’) to USCIS. Be sure to have an attorney or immigration specialist review your paperwork prior to filing with the USCIS. Call us for more information on the process.

Diversity Visa Lottery

We expect an announcement any day now on the application period for the DV 2010 Visa lottery. We will post details here when the news becomes public and will be putting together workshops in our Quincy offices to assist immigrants as they submit their applications.

Unlawful Presence and the DV

If you are here without status, and want to apply for the DV program it is best to give us a call to discuss the entire eligibility matter. We have a clinic every month free to immigrants staffed by attorneys who practice immigration full time.

Drivers’ licenses

One of the attendees at this months clinic had an issue with her US drivers license. She is now unable to renew it because she does not have social security number. She had first obtained a drivers license when it was a lot easier to get one without many of the restrictions in place today. Residing here undocumented more than fifteen years, she is now unable to renew her license.

Immigration Reform

It is hoped that immigration reform will be taken up again by Congress after a new president is sworn in. Both candidates agree that it is time to give the undocumented in the US a pathway to legal status.

Driving w/o a license

A reminder this week to immigrants who are driving without a license or on an Irish license, we want to remind you of the risks involved. It is an offense to drive without a valid license, and all residents of Massachusetts (those living in Massachusetts for more than six months) must have a license issued by this state. If pulled over by police, you may end up cited to court for a hearing and a chance US Immigration might be informed.