Immigration

Updates to the material found in Nolo's books on immigration law.

While both green card holders and citizens can stay in the U.S. indefinitely, there are some major reasons to get U.S. citizenship.

Immigration lawyers are not, in general, the most highly paid of lawyers. They know that their clients often have difficulty obtaining so much as the right to work in the U.S., and adjust their fees accordingly.

If you plan to apply for a U.S. temporary visa or for lawful permanent residence (a green card), you will be expected to show that you do not present a health risk to the general American public. This is one of the grounds of inadmissibility.

Categories of people who qualify for a U.S. green card (lawful permanent residence).

Asylum applications are decided based on personal facts and evidence, but who gets assigned to your case makes a big difference, too.

What needs to happen between when you get married to a U.S. citizen and when you yourself can apply to naturalize?

Overview of who you can help to immigrate, and how long it will take.

Find out how long it takes to get a K-1 fiancé or spousal immigrant visa--and how to do it.

Here is when a spouse or child can take the derivative visa route to immigrate and when they cannot.

The "five years of permanent residence" rule and more guidance on the naturalization process.

How to fill out the N-400 citizenship form with which a green card holder applies to naturalize.

After you apply for naturalization, USCIS takes your fingerprints for a reason.

Whether on a nonimmigrant visa or green card, committing certain acts or crimes can make a person deportable from the U.S.

If you are “undocumented” and are in “removal” proceedings, a few legal defenses are available.

What you should know if a friend or family member has been picked up and held by ICE.

A crime on one's record can block eligibility for a visa or U.S. lawful permanent residence. Learn the details here.

Even a lawful permanent resident can be removed from the U.S. for any of various criminal acts, depending on the crime's definition and severity.

Understanding when a seemingly minor crime can disqualify someone from eligibility for a U.S. visa or green card.

How long a wait to expect for the first step in getting an H-1B specialty temporary worker visa, namely USCIS approval of Form I-129.

Obtaining a U.S. green card is a multi-step process. If you are a foreign worker seeking a green card, the first step in the process is normally to obtain a job offer from a U.S. employer.

While both temporary visa and permanent green card possibilities exist to bring a foreign nanny to the United States, if your nanny is already living in the U.S. without legal status, these possibilities become far fewer.

Legal protections for illegally present aliens facing threats in California.

Undocumented aliens in California have an opportunity to apply for what's called an AB 60 drivers' license.

If you live in a state that has legalized the medical use of marijuana, there is no requirement under any of the state laws that you be a U.S. citizen to use medical marijuana.