People are moving from one place to another in the world. While some are moving to search for greener pastures, some are running from calamities and war, among other problems. Even so, there are different reasons why people move from their countries to other areas. For instance, the United States alone accepts so many immigrants each year and everybody wants a green card and be part of the United States citizenship. Although there are several ways of obtaining citizenship including birth, derivation, naturalization, and acquisition, each country has its own rules and regulations governing such processes. In such a process of searching for citizenship as a migrant, many people make some common mistakes that we think can be avoidable. These include;
Not Submitting All the Paperwork
Immigration processes have a few legalities needed, including one government form. However, many people do not understand that they are required to forward some paperwork that is referred to as supporting evidence. These papers help in proving a few things about your identity. For instance, your utility bills prove that you have an address in the United States while a marriage certificate shows that you have a valid marriage. Therefore, when almost ready to forward your immigration application, check all the documents required properly, they will be used as supporting evidence. According to, Tully Rinckey, it is always advisable to provide the documents requested and not miss a thing.
Not Signing Your Application
This looks like an obvious thing, but do you know that applications that are not signed are automatically not approved? Applications must be signed to ensure that they go through the first step of the verification process. Now, note that a rejection is not denial. An application, when rejected, can be returned with an application fee. However, when denied, you need to resubmit your whole application plus the fee. So, if you are rejected, the mistake can be rectified but you would have wasted so much of your time and prolonged the immigration process.
Submitting an Incorrect Fee
Like any other mistakes such as not putting a signature on your immigration application, submitting an incorrect fee with the application may cause a rejection. Therefore, you have two things to always remember when sending a government fee. First, always check properly to ensure that you are sending the correct amount. This can be realized from the application instructions. Secondly, the department only receives payment in the form of cheques and money orders from a recognized United States institution. They will never accept cash or cheques from foreign money institutions such as banks.
Missing the Renew / Extension Window
When applying for a renewal of your immigration benefits, always be careful to do it within the period allocated and not before the status expires. The applications can at times take several months or more years to complete the process. Losing status during the application and it is kept pending can cause legal issues, including no legal immigration status for a while. Sadly, it is wrong to live in a foreign country without valid immigration status.
As a result, you may face penalties. You may even be forced out of the country depending on the amount of time you stayed there without valid immigration status. Even so, the application instructions will give you directions on how much time you need to apply and the best steps to take.
No Criminal Record Review
When the immigration departments are reviewing the applications, they always check the person’s criminal records. You have to know the crimes you have committed or at least have a criminal clearance certificate to show them. Regardless of the crimes you think you might have committed, there are no minor or major crimes, you must be aware of them. In case of a question, you will have something to tell the immigration officers. In case you have a record, seek guidance from Tully Rinckey Law. They will advise you on the way forward regarding your application.
Immigration can be complicated. It has never been an easy process, especially when doing it alone. You have to check your criminal records and make several visits to immigration department offices. Even so, these processes can be reduced if you seek guidance from an immigration attorney to help you review the application. While many people make these mistakes, you do not have to go through the same hurdles, you can avoid them.