Steps to Getting a Green Card
The steps you will have to take to get a green card vary depending on your country of residence—not necessarily your county of citizenship—and which grounds you use to apply. In the Washington, D.C. area, the green card process is best managed through consultation with experienced green card attorneys like those at Tobin, O’Connor & Ewing. They can guide you through every step of the process, and facilitate communication with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) the branch of the Department of Homeland Security responsible for processing and granting green cards.
The very first place to start is at USCIS’s green card information page.
Green card process abroad
Once your family member or employer has submitted a green card petition on your behalf, or once you are notified that you are a winner of the diversity visa lottery, you will have to submit paperwork to the U.S. consulate there. Your green card interview, if required, will also take place at the U.S. consulate.
Green card process in Washington, D.C.
Most people applying for green cards in Washington, D.C. do so through family members or employers. In these cases, both you and your sponsor—your family member or employer—will have to submit a lot of paperwork to USCIS and wait for USCIS to process it. Be prepared to pay significant fees to have USCIS accept and process your paperwork.
While you wait for USCIS to process your paperwork, make sure you continue to fulfill Washington, D.C. green card requirements. If you or your sponsor move, be sure to notify USCIS of your changed address. If you have a temporary work permit that is linked to a specific employer, tell USCIS if your employment status changes. If you are in the United States legally on a student visa, make sure you and your school inform USCIS if your full-time student status changes for any reason. Do not accept employment not permitted by your current visa status.
Green card interview
The purpose of the interview is to ensure that the information you submitted on your forms is correct, and to correct it if the information is wrong or out-of-date. For a Washington, D.C. green card interview, you should dress conservatively without going overboard—for example, wear a tie, but not one covered with American flags. Be honest. If you accidentally omitted any information in your initial application, you should correct that omission during that interview. And take a skilled Washington, D.C. green card attorney to the interview with you to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible.
Washington, D.C. immigration attorneys
The green card process is almost never as simple as USCIS makes it out to be. The skilled green card lawyers at Tobin, O’Connor & Ewing can help you through the green card process, ensuring that paperwork is submitted properly and in a timely fashion. They can assist if any difficulties or questions arise, and mediate between you and USCIS. Call us at (202) 536-3359 or email us today to discuss green card requirements in Washington, D.C. and to start the process of acquiring a green card and becoming a lawful permanent resident.
