Some children, sadly, experience neglect, abuse, and abandonment. Some of these minors are not citizens of the United States. The Special Immigrant Juvenile classification is meant for these people. The result is that children can become legal permanent residents. This is someone who holds a “green card.” Another powerful offshoot of this benefit is that the applicant can also apply for work authorization in the Read More

Financial insecurity is very real, especially after a divorce. If you are reading this, you are likely concerned with the following: Your ex has stopped paying child support You are worried about the possibility of your ex not paying child support Regardless of why you are concerned, knowing your options will help to get your child support back—or it will put you at ease. If it does happen, you have formulated a Read More

A legal permanent resident is not the same thing as being a citizen. But it is a step towards becoming one. When you hear people mention that they have or desire a “green card,” it means they are seeking to become a legal permanent resident. These are issued by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.  Why Be A Legal Permanent Resident When you obtain this status, you gain a significant amount of Read More

Divorce is a considerable stressor, and part of the reason for that is because it doesn’t solely impact just you and your spouse—your children are involved too. If you’ve ever worried about whether you were going to lose your kids in the process of a divorce, you’re not alone.  Perhaps one of the best remedies for the anxiety and worry you are feeling is to sit down, take a breath, and get familiar with the child Read More

One of the reasons why a divorce can be such a stressful situation is because of the direct and indirect costs of it. You will be paying for legal counseling and the expenses associated with starting a new life. You will likely be doing both with less income than before.  If your spouse was the only one working, then how will you receive money now that the marriage has ended? This can be especially difficult if Read More

The prospect of being deported would frighten anyone. You envision ICE picking you up at home or work due to issues with your status and putting you on the next plane to your country of origin without getting a chance to say goodbye to loved ones here. Although the deportation process is not a pleasant prospect, it’s rarely as sudden or ruthless as the above perception. The reality is that even if ICE puts you in Read More

Many lawful permanent residents in the United States eventually decide to apply for citizenship. If this is your situation, congratulations! By becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen, you will receive the right to vote, apply for a U.S. passport, work for the government, and even petition for family members to join you in the United States. At Csépes Law, it has been our privilege to help many clients realize their Read More

When you apply for U.S. citizenship, there are several requirements that you need to meet, one of which is ‘good moral character.’ Of all the citizenship criteria, this one raises the most questions. In general, applicants have to demonstrate good moral character for five years prior to taking the Oath of Allegiance, but how is it defined, especially with regard to your immigration case? In this blog, we’ll review Read More

When you are already located in the United States, but do not have legal status, it is sometimes possible to obtain a green card (also known as lawful permanent residency) through a process called adjustment of status. Immigrants can apply for adjustment of status in the categories of family, employment, or refugee. If you are interested in applying for family-based adjustment of status because you married a U.S. Read More

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) is a law passed in 1994. Its overall goal is to protect victims of domestic abuse, and one way it does this is by allowing victims to self-petition for status as a lawful permanent resident. Contrary to popular belief, you do not have to be a woman to petition for protection under VAWA, nor do you necessarily need to have been subjected to physical abuse. In today’s post, we’re Read More