Latest Articles
Back
Denied! 8 Most Common Reasons for Green Card Denial According to Immigration Lawyers
Immigration law states that a green card provides individuals the right to live and work in the US. Unfortunately, the US Citizenship and Immigration Service will not approve all applications. If you have a legal issue, this may get in the way. That's why it's important to seek the help of St. Louis Immigration attorneys from hackinglawpractice.com. The founder, Jim Hacking, launched the law firm in 2008. He has been helping people with immigration realm issues or deportation defense ever since. With the help of Jim and his staff at Hacking Law Practice LLC, you can readily avoid these eight reasons behind green card denials.
Reason #1: You're ineligible
Simply put: if you don't meet the complicated regulations required to get a green card, your application will be denied.
You will only be approved if you meet any of these requirements:
- You have close relatives or families who are citizens or permanent residents
- You have been living in the US since January 1, 1972
- You have an American employer sponsoring you
- You are a special immigrant
- You're a refugee or an asylum seeker
- You're a victim of abuse, crime, or human trafficking
To know more about these requirements, make sure to visit the USCIS website.
Reason #2: Your underlying petition was denied
If the USCIS has rejected your petition, your green card application will meet the same fate.
For example, if you have an Immigrant Petition for an Alien Worker (F-140), your case will be denied if:
- You change employers
- You fail to establish a sufficient working relationship with your petitioner
If you have an F-130 or a petition for an alien relative, your petitioner should prove your bona fide relationship.
Reason #3: You've made mistakes on your forms
If you've left errors on your immigration forms, USCIS will likely deny your application.
The good news is this is relatively easy to avoid. As per Jim Hacking, a topnotch St. Louis Immigration lawyer, you need to:
- Provide certified translations for non-English documents, such as your birth or marriage certificate
- Fill out all the blanks. If the question does not apply to your situation, put N/A.
- You paid the wrong fees. You can find the right amount on the USCIS website.
- The signatures are not in wet ink.
- Your photos do not satisfy the stipulated requirements.
Reason #4: You don't meet the financial requirements
In cases like marriage, your spouse or sponsor should meet the income requirements. This should be demonstrated through an affidavit of support.
If your sponsor falls below the poverty guidelines, USCIS will reject your application. After all, they have to make sure you won't become a public charge along the way.
Reason #5: You failed to attend your immigration appointments
When you apply for a green card, you will be required to attend a biometrics appointment for fingerprinting.
Likewise, you will need to attend a USCIS interview. If you live outside the US, the embassy will conduct this interview in your country.
If you can't attend these appointments, make sure to reschedule them. The good thing is MO immigration attorneys can quickly help you out with this.
Reason #6: You missed the Request for Evidence (RFE) deadline
The USCIS may ask for additional information regarding your application. This is known as the Request for Evidence or form I-797E.
It lists out all the documents you need to submit before the USCIS can make an informed decision.
Depending on the circumstances, the USCIS may give you 30 to 90 days to respond to this legal issue.
Since the form will be mailed to the address you have indicated in your application, you may miss it, especially if you move to another address.
To avoid an RFE, experts from hackinglawpractice.com recommend doing the following:
- Provide all the necessary initial evidence
- Include documentary translations
- Detail your sponsor's income
- Provide proof that you entered the country legally
Reason #7: The bureaucracy itself has made errors
If you've heard complaints from some applicants, it's usually because of the USCIS or consulate's fault.
They may lose your documents or even your filing fee in some cases.
They could also end up misspelling your name or listing the wrong birthdate. Worse, they may forget to send you the necessary notices.
So when you receive a notice of intent to deny, make sure to call Hacking Law Practice LLC right away. They can easily spot immigration issues, such as internal mistakes done during processing.
Reason #8: You didn't file a timely appeal
True to its goal of providing immigration help, hackinglawpractice.com can assist you in filing an appeal.
Ideally, you should send a Notice of Appeal/Motion (Form I-290B) within 33 days of the final notice. Time is of the essence here, so it's best left in the hands of a competent immigration lawyer.
There are a lot of reasons why green card applications get denied. If you want to make sure you get approved, seek the help of Hacking Law Practice LLC at hackinglawpractice.com. Jim and his staff will help you meet all the immigration law requirements.
