When Immigration Matters

A Journey to American Citizenship: Maria's Story

Posted by Karen-Lee Pollak on Thu, May 30, 2024 @ 12:13 PM

Chapter 1: The Dream

Maria stood on the deck of the ferry, her eyes fixed on the Statue of Liberty. This was her first view of America, the land of opportunities where she hoped to build a better future for her family. She had left her home country, a small village in Guatemala, with dreams of becoming a U.S. citizen. Little did she know that this journey would be filled with challenges, but also with moments of triumph.

Chapter 2: The Beginning

Maria settled in a small apartment in New York City and found a job as a housekeeper. She worked tirelessly, saving every penny to support her family back home. But Maria had bigger dreams. She wanted to bring her parents to the United States so they too could experience “the American Dream”. To do this, she knew she needed to become a U.S. citizen.

Chapter 3: The First Steps

One evening, Maria attended a community meeting where she learned about the steps to obtain U.S. citizenship. The process seemed daunting: first, she had to become a legal permanent resident by obtaining a Green Card. Then, after three or five years depending on how she obtained permanent residency, she could apply for naturalization. Maria hired Pollak PLLC to assist her in her immigration journey.

Chapter 4: The Legal Process

Maria’s employer was willing to sponsor her for a green card. The Pollak immigration team assisted Maria and her employer in successfully obtaining her Green Card.  Attorney Karen-Lee Pollak, guided her through the intricate process of obtaining a Green Card. This process took three long years. 

The next five years were a mix of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. Maria took English classes and learned about American history and government, preparing herself for the naturalization test.

Chapter 5: The Naturalization Process

Finally, the day came when Maria was eligible to apply for naturalization. She filled out the N-400 questionnaire provided to her by the Pollak immigration team, gathered her documents, and eventually we sent her application to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Months later, she received a notice for her biometrics appointment, where her fingerprints were taken.

The most nerve-wracking part was the interview and test. Maria studied tirelessly, determined to pass and went through a mock-interview with the Pollak immigration team. On the day of her interview, she was well prepared and answered questions about her background, her application, and American civics. When the officer told her she had passed, tears of joy filled her eyes.

Chapter 6: The Oath of Allegiance

Maria’s journey culminated in a grand ceremony where she took the Oath of Allegiance to the United States. Standing among hundreds of new citizens, she felt a profound sense of pride and accomplishment. As she held her Certificate of Naturalization, she knew her dream had finally come true.

Chapter 7: A New Beginning

With her U.S. citizenship, Maria was able to petition for her parents to join her in America. The family was reunited, and Maria’s parents have thrived in their new environment.  

Maria’s story is a testament to the determination and resilience of immigrants. With the right support and guidance from a dedicated immigration law firm, her dream of becoming a U.S. citizen became a reality. Maria now shares her journey with others, inspiring them to pursue their dreams of citizenship and a better life in the United States.

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Navigating the Journey of a Marriage Based Green Card

Posted by Karen-Lee Pollak on Tue, May 28, 2024 @ 11:43 AM

At Pollak PLLC, we are proud to support individuals and families on their journey through the complex world of immigration law. Today, we want to share a heartwarming success story of one of our clients who recently received their marriage-based green card.

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Frustrated with USCIS delays? Why is my case taking so long?

Posted by Karen-Lee Pollak on Fri, Oct 20, 2023 @ 10:00 AM

Immigration is usually a time-sensitive issue, and in most cases, delays in the adjudication of your petition/application could potentially lead to loss of employment, restriction on foreign travel, or outright stress, which may impact an immigrant’s personal life.

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MAY VISA BULLETIN SHOWS HUGE BACKLOGS FOR EMPLOYMENT BASED GREEN CARDS

Posted by Karen-Lee Pollak on Tue, Apr 18, 2023 @ 4:44 PM

The Department of State has released the May Visa Bulletin and there are significant delays. These delays will primarily impact workers who have not filed adjustment of status applications. Employers sponsoring foreign nationals should be aware that some cut-off dates for filing immigrant visa applications in certain employment-based (EB) preference categories have recently “retrogressed” or moved backwards in time due to increased demand.

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Premium Processing for F1 Students, NIW and EB1 Multinational Managers

Posted by Karen-Lee Pollak on Thu, Jan 12, 2023 @ 7:08 PM

On January 12, 2023, United States Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS) announced that it will add the option of Premium Processing to the following categories of applications:

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Lawsuit Filed to Set Aside Trump's April & June Proclamations

Posted by PR Team on Fri, Jul 17, 2020 @ 2:30 PM

Today, our client and 22 individual and organizational plaintiffs, including family-based immigrant visa petitioners, diversity visa lottery winners, and nonimmigrant visa sponsors, including those who want to bring in healthcare professionals from abroad to help during the pandemic, sued to prevent the devastating effects of President’s Trump’s unlawful and unconstitutional immigration ban.  Litigators from the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Justice Action Center and Innovation Law Lab, with pro bono support from Mayer Brown LLP as Lead Counsel, filed the plaintiffs’ claims as an amended complaint in Gomez v. Trump, (copy attached) which had initially challenged President Trump’s April immigration ban.  Today’s amended complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, marks the first legal challenge to the entirety of President Trump's immigration ban, which has been extended through the end of 2020.

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E-2 Non-Immigrant Investor Visa for Israeli Citizens Begins May 1, 2019

Posted by Karen-Lee Pollak on Sat, Apr 27, 2019 @ 6:11 PM

WHAT IS AN E-2 VISA TO THE UNITED STATES?

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How to Switch from an L1 Visa to Green Card

Posted by Karen-Lee Pollak on Fri, Dec 29, 2017 @ 11:30 PM
The L1 visa is a non-immigrant visa category that allows foreign executives, managers, or individuals with specialized knowledge to temporarily transfer to the U.S., in order to work for their employer’s U.S.-based parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate. The L1-A visa for managers and executives is valid for up to 7 years, including extensions. The L1-B visa for individuals with specialized knowledge is valid for up to 5 years, including extensions.  

If you are currently living and working in the U.S. on an L1 visa, but wish to obtain permanent residency status so that you can legally remain in the country and continue your career, here are the basics of switching from an L1 visa to Green Card (the following applies to both L1A and L1B visa holders):

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5 Options to Get from F1 Student Visa to Green Card

Posted by Karen-Lee Pollak on Tue, Oct 17, 2017 @ 11:30 AM

The U.S. is not just home of the world’s largest and most robust economy, which attracts investors and entrepreneurs from across the globe. It is also an academic and research leader that, each year, attracts hundreds of thousands of students from around the world who wish to advance their knowledge.  

If you are a student currently living in the U.S. on an active F1 visa, then you may be eligible to apply for a Green Card (a.k.a. Permanent Resident Card). Obtaining this will allow you to legally live and work in the U.S.

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What’s the Difference Between a Green Card and an Immigrant Visa?

Posted by Karen-Lee Pollak on Thu, May 18, 2017 @ 11:30 AM

While outside of the legal world and government sector the terms Green Card and non-immigrant visa are sometimes used interchangeably, they are categorically separate types of permits. Here are the key distinctions: 

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