Good News! The July 2019 Visa Bulletin & How It May Speed Up Your Green Card Case

As of July 1st, 2019 Spouses and Minor Children of U.S Residents (or Green Card holders) will be able to file for residency regardless of their countries of origin. This is a huge win for the immigration system, providing immigrants with a faster and more direct option for legal permanent residency. Petitions by spouses and minor children will be processed at the same time as an "immediate relative", cutting down waiting and processing times to about a year rather than two plus. Applicants will have to go through the regular immigration process with USCIS and the Consular Posts but may start the process much sooner than originally expected.

If spouses and children of U.S residents are already legally in the United States after July 1st, they may file their family petition (I-130) and residency application (I-485) at the same time, allowing them to stay in the United States while waiting for approval. As long as individuals are legally residing in the US, they will not have to return home in order to finalize their applications. As this new policy is a step in the right direction, individuals who qualify for residency through family petitions should begin the process as soon as possible to avoid waiting lines for the many people interested.

While many cases will be positively affected by this update, many will still need to wait and individuals are advised to proceed with caution when filing any application. Most individuals who apply for residency with expired status or residing in the U.S illegally will be denied and placed into removal proceedings if they are not careful. One should seek advice to confirm they are eligible to legally file for residency to avoid being denied and placed into a deportation proceedings.

If you have any questions regarding applying for residency, please contact Attorney Nicholas J. Mireles, Esq. at Attorney@loonjm.com.