NATURALIZATION
Naturalization is the process by which U.S. citizenship is granted to a foreign citizen or national after he or she fulfills the requirements established by Congress in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
DACA
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an American immigration policy that allows some individuals who were brought to the United States illegally as children to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and become eligible for a work permit in the U.S. To be eligible for the program, recipients cannot have felonies or serious misdemeanors on their records.
PETITIONS FOR ALIEN RELATIVES
A citizen or lawful permanent resident of the United States may file specifics files, Petition for Alien Relative, with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to establish the existence of a relationship to certain alien relatives who wish to immigrate to the United States
EMPLOYMENT AUTHORIZATION RENEWALS
Employment authorization documents (EAD) allow non-U.S. citizens and non-Green Card holders to work legally in the U.S. It is a legal work permit that grants the holder of that document, authorization to work in the country. These documents come with a two years validity period and are renewable. In some cases, EADs valid for one year are issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
GREEN CARDS RENEWALS
Green cards, also known as a Form I-551, are generally valid for either 2 years or 10 years. Lawful permanent residents should renew their green cards if they are expired or will expire in the next six months.
RE-ENTRY PERMITS
The Re-entry Permit (Form I-327), also known as Permit to Re-Enter is a travel document similar to a certificate of identity, issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to U.S. lawful permanent residents to allow them to travel abroad and return to the U.S. It is a passport-like booklet with a blue-green cover with the words “TRAVEL DOCUMENT” on the front. Individuals whose application for permanent residency has not yet been approved can instead apply for Advance parole (Form I-512).
ADVANCE PAROLE
Advance parole is an immigration document (Form I-512) issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to enable an alien to be paroled into the United States. It is not a U.S. visa or a re-entry permit; it is only issued to people without permanent residency. Advance parole is a permit for a non-U.S. national, who does not have a valid immigrant visa, to re-enter the United States after traveling abroad. Such persons include those who have applied to adjust their status to that of permanent resident or to change their non-immigrant status. Advance parole must be approved before the applicant leaves the United States, or any residency application be denied unless exceptional circumstances are demonstrated by the alien.