San Francisco Naturalization Lawyer

Family Immigration Attorney Located in San Francisco, California

Making families whole again is an important part of my practice. At the Law Office of Marcia I. Perez, I have been helping legal immigrants obtain visas for their spouses, siblings, parents, fiancés (K-1 visa), and other close family members since 1995. I work closely with my clients to help them through the complex immigration law process. My goal is to bring about family unification of your family as quickly as possible. To speak with an experienced immigration lawyer, contact me online or call my San Francisco Office toll free at 888-712-4012.

The Process

Dealing with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) can be a confusing and slow process drawn out by USCIS errors, limited visa availability and backlog delays. As soon as you obtain legal status in the United States, you should begin the process of bringing your family together. An unnecessary delay could cost you the right to seek certain types of visas for your family members or add years to their ability to immigrate to the U.S.

First, the USCIS must adjudicate Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Whether or not the family member is an immediate or preference category relative will determine how long the wait will be for the visa to be issued. The date you file the I-130 determines one’s priority date for preference categories and changes each month in the published Visa Bulletin issued by the U.S. Department of State. Secondly, when your visa becomes available after a wait consisting of many years, or in the case of immediate relatives the visa is available upon approval of the I-130, then the process begins for either adjusting your status in the U.S. with a local USCIS field office or consular processing at the U.S. embassy abroad. Many people who have been in the U.S. illegally for over a year may not be eligible to adjust stateside and face many dangers attempting to consular process. This process can involve numerous complications and necessary waivers, if it is not handled properly. You need the guidance of an attorney to give you the best chance at crafting a successful petition.

Family Immigration Problems

Whether you are attempting to make temporary non-immigrant residency permanent, seeking an adjustment of status, or attempting to consular process your lawyer must be knowledgeable, thorough and prepared. I have extensive experience in a wide range of family-based immigration law issues. From helping people protect their status after a divorce, to defending people accused of marriage fraud, I have the skill and dedication to fight for my clients. I represent clients in appeals through the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) as well as handling waivers for numerous ineligibilities, including criminal histories, entries with fraudulent passports and documents, lying to immigration officials and unlawful presence in the United States. Whatever your issue, I can give you the advice and strong advocacy you deserve.

Naturalization

I help clients with complex naturalizations involving legal issues, residency problems and a review of criminal court records. In some cases, applications for naturalizations can lead to removal and deportation if past wrongs are not legally corrected. For most people though, I feel the Citizenship process is easy and straight forward. I think it is a great first step in dealing with governmental agencies on you own and becoming an “American.” It gives the applicant the confidence and know-how of navigating the process that they can share with their own family, friends and community. The USCIS website is an excellent resources with exam materials, detailed instructions of the process and what to expect. I frequently advise clients to complete the N-400 application for naturalization on their own, as there is often no need to pay an attorney for that service. If you do not have a criminal history, are not delinquent in child support, have not been on welfare or been a public charge, have not had problematic multiple marriages with questionable or incomplete divorces, or any other legal issues that is of concern to you; you can do the N-400 on your own. I am always available for consultations and you can do the rest. If you encounter problems with your application or just want a supporting attorney to guide and represent you then by all means contact me. Sometimes people are too busy or are working long hours and do not have the time to bother with the process and figure it all out so they hire me because they prefer professional representation. As a knowledgeable San Francisco naturalization attorney, I will always give you the advice I believe to be in your best interests. My goal is to help you accomplish your immigration goals as simply as possible and become a U.S. citizen.

Political Asylum

If you are persecuted by your government or your government refuses to protect you from political persecution you may apply for asylum in the United States. Political asylum does not only include protection to those who were involved in the politics of their home country but to protected social groups like victims, or likely victims, of female genital mutilation (FGM), being homosexual in certain countries, women having more than one child from China, being a member of a minority religious, ethnic, racial or other protected group from certain countries. There is a one-year rule that is very difficult to overcome once reached. You must apply for asylum before you are in the U.S. for 365 days, however, there are circumstances that may arise that change your plight. Asylum is normally handled by attorneys and involves very complex and voluminous filings. It is highly recommended that one seek legal counsel when applying for asylum.

If you think you may have an asylum case, please contact my office online or call toll free at 888-712-4012 for an initial consultation.