My Other Career: Immigration Paralegal

The most rewarding profession or career that I have had is definitely being a mom to my children.  For seven years, I was a stay-at-home mom to my daughters until I had to help my husband and my late father-in-law in their law firm due to an unforeseeable issue that arose.

I had to take on a responsibility that was new to me, and I had to learn on my own, QUICKLY.

The unforeseen issue that occurred had to do with the law firm’s Immigration Department.  Therefore, I had to help go through the immigration cases that the firm was handling. Many cases had to be processed immediately. Some had to be re-done, and many had to be reviewed and followed-up. 

Although we were in a difficult situation, it became an opportunity for me to learn everything about the United States Immigration and how it works. Mainly, I learned to process family-based immigration cases.

WORKING ON FAMILY PETITIONS

Since 2009, I have processed many cases.  I have handled petitions that were processed in the United States and those that were processed in the U.S. Consulate outside of the country.

Petitioning family members may seem easy and looks like it’s just filling up a bundle of forms.  But, there are many more details that one must know in processing these cases to be approved.  Therefore, it is imperative to ask the assistance of competitive and reliable representatives which includes, but not limited to, Attorneys, Paralegals, and Immigration Consultants.  

The following are some frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding family-based immigration:

WHAT IS FAMILY-BASED IMMIGRATION CASES?

Family-Based immigration cases are those involving petitions of a United States Citizen and Legal Permanent Resident for their immediate family members.  They may petition a spouse, children, parents, and siblings.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO PETITION FAMILY MEMBERS?

There are steps in petitioning for family members. Particular forms for particular petition must be obtained and filled out.  Required documents must be submitted along with the forms and filing fees are needed to be paid to the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS).

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A U.S. CITIZEN AND PERMANENT RESIDENT?

A U.S. Citizen is eligible to obtain a U.S. Passport which is issued by the U.S. State Department.  A U.S. Citizen may travel visa-free to many different countries all over the world.  As a U.S. Citizen, you may go in and out of the country without being required to have a reentry permit.

A Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) or most commonly known as a “Green Card Holder,” cannot just leave and return the country without first obtaining a reentry permit.  A Permanent Resident cannot be out of the United States for an extended period of time.  Otherwise, permanent residency may be revoked.

Additionally, a United States Citizen can exercise his or her right to vote while a permanent resident cannot participate in any U.S. elections.

CAN ONE PETITION FOR GRANDPARENTS, UNCLES, AUNTS, AND COUSINS?

The answer is NO.  If you are a U.S. Citizen, you can petition for your spouse, children (married, unmarried, and those over 21 years old), parents, and siblings.

If you are a permanent resident, you can only petition your spouse and children (unmarried children, and children under 21 years old).

You CANNOT petition for grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins.

CAN ONE PETITION FOR A FIANCE?

Yes, but only a United States Citizen can petition for a fiancé.

Each kind of petition has different instructions.  Therefore, it is essential to obtain the information for a particular petition to be able to process the case timely and properly.

THE REWARD OF BEING AN IMMIGRATION PARALEGAL

Being a Paralegal or a Legal Assistant is a rewarding job/career for me.  It is not because of the pay I get but more because of my ability to help families reunite in the United States. 

Many people dream of living in the United States in search of greener pastures. Even if it means coming in illegally.  I have seen and heard many different stories.  Many of them sad and desolate.  As I have been given the opportunity to help in this kind of job, I do my very best to assist them in putting their lives in order. 

In our firm, the Law Offices of F. Adrian Munoz, we do our very best to help our clients obtain legal status in the U.S.  In that way, they can begin living their life without any fear of being detained or deported and to have the freedom, right, and privilege just like any other legal residents and United States Citizen.  

If you are interested to know more about family-based immigration in the U.S., PLEASE CLICK BELOW!