You must be aware that if you want to become a US green card holder, you will have to spend a lot of your money and time. Foreign citizens who want be a US citizen should be prepared for this and if you want to make the process a lot smoother, you should seek the necessary legal help.

Because of the stringent policies in the US when it comes to acquiring green cards, many foreign citizens are illegally residing in many different states. According to some critics, the system being used by the US should be made simpler but since you’re the applicant for the green card, you should follow their rules.

Before the green card was colored green but at present, it is already white colored with green printings; the card is valid for 10 years and a foreign citizen can get it when their employer or relative petitions them.

By seeking the needed legal help, you will be able to go through with the various steps smoothly. Start looking for lawyers who are specializing in green card cases. Once you find a reputable lawyer, you can already follow the three steps.

Step #1

The USCIS (US Citizenship & Immigration Service) is the agency that issues green cards to foreign citizens. You will need to submit all the pertinent paperwork to this agency and their staff will review your papers. After that, the agency will determine if your papers will be approved or not.

Step #2

After the decision of the USCIS is given, the paperwork will be forwarded to NVC (National Visa Center). Your green card petition will need to wait until there is already an available visa number. Every year, limited visa numbers are released; so don’t expect for an immediate visa number.

Step #3

Once a visa number is given to your petition, it will be forwarded to the US embassy which is based in your home country.

As you can see, the three steps may sound simple and easy but it’s not as simple as you think. There’ll be lots of paperwork and the whole process is quite time consuming. You have to devote a lot of your time in preparing the necessary paperwork and not only that, you will also spend a lot of money.

If you want to prepare all the necessary paperwork without any problems, you should seek legal help. Find a reputable lawyer now who has past experiences in handling green card matters. Due to the extensive paperwork, you will need a guide all throughout the process. Private lawyers can cost a lot in the long run and you should be prepared for such expenses.

However, if you have a personal lawyer, you can be sure that all the paperwork is accurate and there’ll be less room for mistakes. That way, the papers will be immediately processed in the concerned agency. Having complete and accurate paperwork will make it easier for the concerned agencies to process the green card petition.

Hire a lawyer who knows a lot about green card petitions. You can ask referrals from friends and relatives or you can also do a quick search online for reputable and experienced lawyers in your area. This is one sure way of getting your green card petition approved in less time. Be prepared for everything.

Did you know that many people suffer from domestic violence? Survivors of domestic violence often complain about essential hypertension, migraines, insomnia, chronic pain, depression, anxiety, excessive fatigue, and many others. If you’re a victim of domestic violence, you need to seek legal help at once.

The body is designed to react with threats coming from the surroundings. You can either fight against the threat or you shy away from it. Individuals react differently when they are threatened and if you’re a victim of domestic violence, you can seek the proper legal help so that you will know what to do.

If you don’t face this problem, you will end up with the conditions mentioned earlier and you will be under chronic stress. This is not an ideal situation and by opening yourself to professional and expert legal help, you will know what to do.

Firstly, you need to report your situation to the concerned agencies; that way, you will receive appropriate assistance. Lots of individuals don’t want to report their situation because they are scared but if you’re one of them, you should not have second thoughts in fighting against domestic violence.

You can start searching through the list of lawyers in the directory. Just ensure that you’re looking in the right list. You see, lawyers have different specializations. In your case, you have to look for a lawyer that specializes in domestic violence. If you can’t afford to hire a personal lawyer, you can check with charitable organizations in your local area that can help you in locating pro bono attorneys or lawyers. When you say pro bono, the services of the lawyers are given for free. The charitable organizations can help you with your case. Once you have a pro bono lawyer, you and your lawyer can now start handling the domestic violence case.

You need to provide all the required details related to the case to your lawyer. Don’t try to hide even the smallest detail because this can affect the case in the future. You and your lawyer should trust each other. You should be honest at all times. Once you’ve developed trust for your lawyer, you will be more comfortable in his or her presence. The lawyer can also give you some advice or may be able to refer you to some counseling services.

You see, victims of domestic violence can be terribly affected especially their personal lives. Some victims find it hard to recover from the pains and hurtful memories of domestic violence. Through counseling services, the victims can adjust to their new life and learn to move on. After some time, they will be able to live normal lives again without having any feelings of insecurity, anxiety, or depression.

Domestic violence is not new especially in today’s modern times. Victims are encouraged to speak out and seek the necessary legal help. Whether you’re rich or poor, you should not hesitate to seek legal help if you’re a victim of domestic violence. Let the person responsible for your sufferings pay for everything. You can get your personal lawyer or you can ask help from charitable organizations to provide you with a pro bono lawyer.

This is your ticket to start a new life. Be strong and don’t loose hope. You’re not alone in the battle and with the right legal assistance, you can make it through.

Have you ever stopped to consider what you would do if you were suddenly faced with the prospect of getting arrested and being asked by the police to speak to them? Most of my law abiding clients never consider such circumstances since they do not foresee the possibility of ever having problems with the law. Unfortunately, life is not predictable, and some of us may find ourselves in compromising positions where the police will attempt to speak with us.

In this article I will provide you with useful information in the event the “unimaginable” happens and you are accused of committing a crime. As you will read, there are several reasons why it may be in your best interests not to speak with the police until you have first spoken with an attorney.

THEIR CASE MAY NOT BE MADE WITHOUT YOUR STATEMENT:

First of all, the police may not be able to make a case against you without your statement. It is a little known fact that obtaining a confession or incriminating statements from the accused is the number one tool law enforcement officers rely on in making their case. Approximately 70 percent of all criminal cases filed by the District Attorney’s office have sufficient evidence for filings, only because the accused made a statement to the police. Consequently, police officers are specially trained to illicit statements from people accused of crimes. They are sent to special schools where they receive training on how to use psychology and to employ tricks to get people to speak. And in case you didn’t know, it is perfectly within the law for police officers to use trickery or to tell lies in order to obtain a statement.

LAW ENFORCEMENT ALWAYS WINS:

When you are accused of a crime, giving your “side of the story” to the police is usually the wrong thing to do. As the popular former prosecutor and noted author – Vincent Bugliosi once wrote, getting a statement from the accused almost always favors the prosecution. Once the government has your version of the incident, you are pinned down as to certain facts, and the government will spend countless hours tearing your story apart. Prosecutors are taught to use defendant’s statements in trial, even when they are self serving, since the statements are usually more helpful to the government’s case than harmful. Thus, as the Miranda warnings state, “your statement can and will be used against you.”

MIRANDA WARNINGS ARE NOT ALWAYS REQUIRED:

Contrary to popular belief, the police are not required to give you the Miranda warnings prior to speaking with you in all situations. Miranda warnings are only required when the police have you in a “custodial” situation, i.e., when you are not free to leave. Therefore, there are many situations where the police can contact you and speak to you without having to give you the Miranda rights. For example, police officers frequently make telephone calls to people suspected of crimes and obtain voluntary statements without having to give Miranda warnings. Incidentally, these phone conversations are usually secretly tape recorded, which the police are authorized to do! Also, officers frequently ask people to drop by the station to give a statement, or they drop by your house to talk to you. So long as the Court finds you were “free to leave,” the police are not required to “Mirandize” you before speaking to you.

SPEAKING TO THEM CAN RUIN A GOOD DEFENSE:

Experienced defense attorneys know the value of going to trial when their client’s have not spoken, since the government’s case may not be very strong. When the accused has not provided the police with a statement, his or her attorney has the opportunity to analyze the government’s case before making a opening and closing statements or deciding if a particular witness should testify. Conversely, when you speak to the police you will probably eliminate most of the defenses your attorney can employ on your behalf.

IF THEIR MOTIVES ARE INNOCENT, THEY CAN WAIT:

Assume that the police want to speak with you as a “witness.” The police tell you they do not consider you as a suspect and they believe you possess information that may be helpful in their investigation. Before speaking to them, you may want to ask yourself, “what’s the hurry?” In most circumstances, the police can wait long enough for you to consult with an attorney, since they are contacting you after the incident and there is no emergency that requires your statement. Furthermore, if the motives of the police are as innocent as they sound, the police should be willing to wait until you have consulted with an attorney.

IT IS YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT NOT TO TALK:

Many people who are aware of their rights not to speak to the police, waive their Constitutional rights, because they are afraid of looking guilty. Believe it or not, many Police officers and Prosecutors accused of crimes (and who should know their rights better than the rest of us) frequently waive their rights, and end up ruining the defenses they may have had.

When you find yourself in need, do not hesitate in exercising your Constitutional rights. Remember, exercising your Constitutional rights can never be used against you in a criminal case. Thus, if you find yourself in a situation where you don’t want to speak to the police, just tell the police, “I’d like to speak with you, but first I will need to speak with my attorney to ensure my rights are protected.”