6 Top Tips on USA Immigration

Knowing some of the top tips on USA immigration can definitely improve your chances of succeeding. Of course, it’s never guaranteed, but setting yourself up correctly in the early stages of your application makes the later ones much easier.

Regardless of whether you are trying to maintain your immigration status or just starting the Green Card application process, there are ways that you can reduce complexities and the anxiety associated with it. Here are a few top tips to help you with USA immigration.

File More Than One Petition

Depending on your reason for applying to enter the US, you might be able to file more than one application. It ultimately depends on whether you’re moving there for work or family reasons, as you need an American sponsor.

So, the first of our top tips on USA immigration is to file multiple applications if you can. While it won’t be applicable to something like a work visa, it’s fine for family visas or Green Card Lottery applications.

For certain visa categories, all family members get the right to move to the US. As mentioned, though, it doesn’t apply to things like work visas, so make sure you check with an immigration professional whether this applies to you.

Make Copies of your USA Immigration forms.

This should be a given for any application you fill out but is particularly relevant to a Green Card or visa application. Making copies of your forms means you’ve got backups in case anything goes wrong. While you might not then be able to send these copies to USCIS, you could at least use them to fill out new versions of forms. On the whole, this should save you time.

Also, when you send any documentation to the USCIS, make sure you send it by certified mail with a return receipt requested. This way, you have records of everything if there is any misunderstanding or your documentation is lost. While this isn’t common, you can’t be too careful.

Similarly, it would help if you kept proof of dates when you completed forms and sent them off. This can be as simple as taking a picture on your smartphone, so you’ve at least got a timestamp for when you filled in the forms.

Expect Delays from USCIS services.

Even when USCIS is operating at normal speed, your visa application could take a few months. Green Cards are typically longer because they need more information and background checks. USCIS gets hundreds of thousands of applications a year, and it only has a few processing centers in the whole country for certain types of visas.

So, one of our most important top tips on USA immigration is to be patient and expect it to take a while. Political and economic factors from the last few years have almost doubled the processing time for some applications, too.

Whatever type of approval you need from USCIS, make sure you plan in advance so you have the documentation when you need it. It could be a work permit, approval of your Green Card for employment, or other types of documentation that, when absent, can prevent you from moving forward.

Prepare to Arrive in the US

USA immigration officials have the authority to turn you away from the border, even if your visa application is completely correct. After all, they’re the final step between you and entering the US, so they have to be pretty careful about who they let in.

Their criteria are pretty strict, as they can turn you away for anything they decide is suspicious. There are a few top tips on USA immigration for dealing with this. The first is to make sure your documentation is in order – make sure you check it several times and go through a checklist of what you’ll need when first entering the US.

The second mainly applies to temporary visa holders. Try not to bring too much luggage with you, as this could be taken as a sign you plan to stay longer than your visa allows. However, there’s no set amount for too much luggage, so just use your best judgment about how much stuff you’ll need for the period of your stay.

Finally, take the time to educate yourself on entering the US legitimately and then prepare accordingly in advance.

Understand the Fine Print

As you can imagine, there are lots of rules and regulations around entering and remaining in the US. Your documentation will have plenty of fine print about what you can and can’t do with your specific type of visa. Make sure you read as much as possible before even entering the country.

It also might help to speak to an immigration professional if you have any concerns over things. Most of the documentation uses legal language, and it can be a bit confusing to understand vague terms such as “good moral character”.

This isn’t meant to scare you into not entering the US, though. On the whole, it’s easy to avoid making big mistakes (such as not committing a federal crime). However, what can be harder is avoiding the small, silly mistakes that come from the fine print.

A good example is not taking part in paid work if you’ve entered the country on a business visa. Knowing the difference between working for your actual employer and taking on paid work while in the USA might seem confusing, but it’s vital that you know the difference. Small mistakes like this could lead to deportation or USCIS banning you from entering the country again.

Submit Your Diversity Visa Application Each Year

There are plenty of different routes into the US, depending on whether you want to move there permanently or temporarily. For Green Card applications, though, you need a sponsor who’s a US citizen or permanent resident.

As such, people who have no prior connections to the US might feel limited in their options for obtaining residency status. Well, that’s where the Diversity Visa Program comes in.

Even if you’re applying for a visa through another route, consider submitting a Green Card Lottery application each year. After all, the Diversity Visa Lottery is totally independent and will not affect any other visa application you have submitted. It also gives you the ability to bring immediate family, so you and your spouse could both submit applications, for example.

You never know, this could be your lucky chance to win a Green Card while waiting for an application that could take many years. The best way to apply for the Electronic Diversity Immigrant Visa Program, popularly known as the Green Card Lottery, is to use the value-added immigration service provided by the US Green Card Office.

Final Thoughts from the US Green Card Office

Although you can apply for the Green Card Lottery for free directly through USCIS, there are numerous benefits to using a paid service. The first is that it guarantees your application will be accepted and helps you avoid small mistakes that could void it.

Second, the immigration professionals at the US Green Card Office provide advice similar to the top tips on USA immigration listed above. So, not only do you get guaranteed acceptance, but you also get your questions answered.

USA immigration can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be if you do your homework. Hopefully, some of these tips will help you to get started in the right direction.

We recommend you apply for the Green Card Lottery even if you are waiting for a decision from the immigration office. Applying for a Green Card through the Green Card Lottery does not affect any other applications you may have completed.