There are ways one can apply for a green card (permanent residence):
- Through your family
- A job offer or employment
- Refugee or asylum status
- Other provisions.
In some cases an applicant may be able to do what is called a “self-petition”, or have a record created for permanent residence on his behalf.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR ELIGIBILITY FOR PERMANENT RESIDENCE
In general, to meet the requirements for permanent residence in the United States one must:
- Be admissible to the United States
- Have an immigrant visa immediately on hand
- Maintain an immigrant petition that is filed and approved
- Be eligible for immigration in one of the immigrant categories established in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
We shall discuss the first point here:
Admissibility to the United States
All persons who apply for an immigrant visa or adjustment of status must be able to prove to immigration or consular officials that they are admissible(eligible for admission) to the United States.
To become inadmissible there are many grounds that can make an applicant inadmissible:
- Health-related
- Security- related and
- Other grounds.
In some exceptional cases or specific situations, even if you are found inadmissible to the United States you may still be eligible to file for a waiver on Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Ground of Inadmissibility, or I-602 – Application by Refugee for Waiver of Grounds of Excludability (form required for refugees and asylees) that will excuse your inadmissibility.
Last time we had looked at syphilis as one of the medical conditions that should be taken care of by applicants during the course of taking on the Immigration Medical Examination. Here is one more physical condition that is rapidly occurring in adults too:
Mumps
Despite vaccination programs for this condition that took place in large numbers over the years the United States of America is recently witnessing sporadic outbreaks of mumps, and what is alarming is that it seems to be affecting adults in more and more numbers. You must know that mumps has always occurred in children, but due to many parameters and shifts in public health outbreaks are occurring in adults too, especially in foreign- born immigrant populations.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IF YOU HAVE MUMPS AND WISH TO TAKE THE MEDICAL EXAM
Mumps is an acute viral disease that is spread from person to person by coughing or sneezing,; most people may have no symptoms or very mild symptoms, but they can still pass on the virus to others.
SYMPTOMS: Mumps has peculiar symptoms:
- Low-grade fever
- Swelling or tenderness in one or more of the salivary glands in the jaw
- Symptoms usually appear between 12 and 25 days after a person has been exposed to the virus.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IF YOU HAVE MUMPS
There is a vaccine to protect against mumps. If you run the risk of contracting mumps – somebody has recently had it in your family and you have not taken the vaccine, then it is best to consult the USCIS-approved Civil Surgeon during the Immigration Medical Examination, who will then arrange to have you vaccinated. The mumps vaccine is given as part of the MMR combination – a vaccine that jointly protects measles, mumps and rubella.
The mumps vaccine is very safe and highly effective with minimal side effects. Sometimes mild reactions such as fever, redness or swelling at the injection site may be experienced. Consult the USCIS Civil Surgeon for advice.
USCIS or U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officials have approved the cap for statutory maximum numbers of 10,000 petitions for U-1 nonimmigrant status (U visas) for the current fiscal year 2015. This is the 6th straight year that USCIS has reached the statutory maximum since it began issuing U-1 or U visas as they are called, in 2008.
U visas are issued to victims of certain crimes – those who have suffered certain crimes, going through substantial mental or physical abuse. These victims should also be willing to help law enforcement authorities investigate or prosecute the criminals perpetrating the crimes. A U- visa petition requires certification that the victim has been helpful to law enforcement authorities.
Although the statutory cap of 10,000 U visas has already been reached by USCIS, it will continue to review pending petitions for eligibility. For petitioners who are eligible but who cannot be granted a U-1 visas solely because of the cap will be sent a letter by USCIS that will notify them that they are on a waiting list to receive a U visa when visas become available again. The letter will also inform the petitioners of options available to them while they are on the waiting list. All petitioners and family members who qualify should be able to meet eligibility requirements on the occasion of USCIS issuing the U visa.
USCIS will resume issuing U visas on Oct. 1, 2015, the first day of fiscal year 2016.
The U visa program was created by Congress in order to strengthen the law enforcement community’s ability to investigate and deal with cases of domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking and other crimes, while offering certain levels of protection to victims. Since the program began in the year 2008, more than 116,471 victims and their family members have already received U visas.
The interview call in the Green Card or visa application process is an important part of the entire journey to immigration!
The interview is the final place of call and will happen once you clear the Immigration Medical Examination. The Immigration Medical Examination is held by USCIS-approved surgeons. The results of the immigration are handed over to you in a sealed envelope and you are required to send it to the USCIS for further processing.
After you have been notified of the interview the following steps will have to be taken by you in advance of the interview date:
Make a CAREFUL REVIEW of the information sent by the NVC. The letter will mention the date, time and location of your immigrant visa interview.
- Make a CAREFUL REVIEW of the instructions provided by the U S Embassy or Consulate where you will be appearing for the interview. The instructions are important and will have to be reviewed carefully.
- SCHEDULE and COMPLETE the Medical Examination: You and your family members, if any, are required to schedule a medical appointment with a USCIS-approved Civil Surgeon. The medical examination must be completed by you, along with completing the required vaccinations. This has to be done before your scheduled visa interview date.
When your medical exam is completed, you may be given a sealed envelope that has to be carried by you to the visa interview. Some surgeons prefer to send it directly to the embassy or consulate.
- COLLECT all the remaining documents required: You are required to
obtain all the original documents or certified copies and one photocopy for yourself and each family member who is applying for the visa.
Please note that all documents that are not written in English needs to be accompanied by a translation in English. These translated manuscripts need to be certified by a competent translator.
