There are two ways you may apply for permanent resident status in the United States. But if you still reside abroad in your home country, your best option would be consular processing. So, without further ado, please follow along to find out the purpose behind consular processing and how a proficient consular processing immigration visa lawyer in WI, at Sesini Law Group, S.C., can take you through each step of this legal process.
What is the purpose behind consular processing?
For one, the United States Department of State stations consulates abroad to represent the country’s interests. One of these interests is issuing and renewing United States passports, along with processing visa applications for foreign citizens. Now, United States visas grant conditional authorization to enter and remain in the country for a specified period. This is different from a permanent resident card, which grants the ability to live and work in the United States indefinitely. Therefore, the purpose of consular processing is to allow the U.S. Department of State to determine whether a foreigner is admissible into the country with a permanent resident status rather than with a visa status.
What should I expect to happen during consular processing?
You should know that consular processing is notorious for being invasive and complex. But at the same time, a lot of it is just waiting around, anxiously awaiting notices from the involved government agencies. All in all, you may consider it personally worth it if you can reside in the United States permanently thereafter. With that being said, below are the steps you should expect to undergo during consular processing:
- You should wait for a sponsor to file an immigration petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on your behalf.
- You should wait to hear back from the USCIS regarding their decision, which is hopefully a notice of approval.
- You should wait for the USCIS to send the petition to the National Visa Center (NVC), if it is approved.
- You should wait to hear back from the NVC regarding when your immigrant visa number is available, when to submit documentation and fees, etc.
- You should wait to receive your scheduled consular interview date, and most definitely prepare for and attend it.
- You should wait for the consular office to, hopefully, approve your immigration application.
- You should wait to receive your visa or green card in the mail and head to the U.S.
Importantly, you should not subject yourself to this demanding legal process if you do not qualify for immigration in the first place. This is something you should independently research or speak with your legal representative about beforehand. In conclusion, a talented family immigration lawyer in Milwaukee, WI can help kickstart your legal action today. Our team at Sesini Law Group, S.C. will happily take on your case.