Undertaking the long and arduous journey to immigrate to another country is not an easy task. Immigrants give up their entire lives in their home country to try and build a life in the United States. A crucial part of that journey is being able to obtain lawful status in the United States.
After making the difficult decision and undertaking the journey of moving your life and starting fresh in America, the last thing you want to do is to cause legal issues for yourself by not hiring an attorney, or by hiring the wrong attorney, to help you navigate the legal process of obtaining lawful status in the United States. Here are some mistakes that can affect your legal process.
Forgetting to send in all required paperwork by the due date.
One of the more common mistakes that can destroy your immigration case is forgetting to submit all required forms and paperwork. You may have noticed that there are several forms and many documents that need to accompany every visa process. If you happen to miss any one of these documents, it could result in your case being denied. It’s important to be careful and diligent so that nothing falls through the cracks, or else you could find yourself being denied and potentially falling out of status, being placed in removal proceedings, and being out thousands of dollars.
Use of outdated or retired forms
Another mistake that could destroy your U.S. immigration case is using outdated forms. Immigration forms change and are updated routinely depending on changes in policy. It is imperative that you use the current versions of the forms you are submitting or your case could be rejected or denied for failing to use the correct forms.
Paying the wrong filing fee or the wrong amount
Another common mistake that can delay your U.S. immigration case is sending in the wrong filing fee payment. When you file your application, you will be asked to include payment so that USCIS can process your application. If you fail to submit the correct fee, your application can be rejected or denied.
Not Getting The Right Help
Last but certainly not least is not getting the right help. As you can see, there are many things that can go wrong, and that any mistake can result in a severe legal problem, the loss of high filing fees, or a severe delay in your process. This is why it’s best to get a knowledgeable Houston immigration attorney on your side who is experienced and competent in the immigration process.
Don’t let one of these four mistakes destroy your immigration case! You’ve probably heard this saying before “Better safe than sorry!” It’s true for most things, including saving yourself some time and headache with your U.S. immigration applications.
Luis Ruiz is an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney in Houston, Texas that helps immigrants successfully navigate the complex immigration laws and processes. If you have any questions regarding a pending or potential case please call us at (832) 390-4664.