Category Archives: Abogados de Inmigración

8 Ways an Immigration Lawyer Can Help You

Are you attempting to start on the process of immigrating to the United States? Or are you perhaps looking for advice involving securing a green card, or getting legal employment? Do you have questions about permanent residency, or the path to citizenship? Whatever your personal goals, U.S. immigration law can be a tricky subject to tackle on your own. If you want to give yourself the best shot at achieving your objectives, you will have a much better chance if you work with an experienced immigration lawyer.

At Fong Ilagan, we handle cases at every stage of the immigration process. We work with clients who are new to the country, and with clients who have been here for years and are seeking a change in status, or who need help with new paperwork or documentation. The work of an immigration lawyer can cover quite a few situations. Here are ___ ways an immigration lawyer can really make a difference.

8 Ways Your Immigration Lawyers Will Help You

1. They Make Sure You Are Current With the Latest Laws

U.S. immigration law is not only complicated—it’s constantly changing. Partly because it is such a political topic, it is not always possible to predict what the laws will be like many years in advance. At the same time, the process of legal immigration can often take several years to complete––not counting the process of becoming a citizen. When you try to figure it all out on your own, you run the risk of relying on old advice, or information that’s out of date. But when you work with great immigration attorneys, you will always have the latest information at your fingertips.

2. They Can Help Prevent Deportation

In addition to helping to assist with the legal immigration process, your attorney can help prevent deportation to another country. There are multiple situations where this can arise, and you may not be aware of all your rights or the choices that you can pursue. With a dedicated legal team available to help you, you can make sure that you are informed of all the options you have available.

3. They Can Help You Navigate the Path to Citizenship

If you want to become a U.S. citizen, you will need to pass several naturalization tests, including language and civics. Your attorneys can help you with the various paperwork and letters that you will need to provide in this process and make sure that you have everything you need. U.S. citizenship is not something that is usually achieved overnight, and you can benefit greatly from having a legal team that can walk you through the journey from start to finish.

4. They Can Help You In Ways Your Employer Might Not

In some cases, immigrants to the U.S. can enter because of their employment status. In many of these instances, the employer will help with the immigration process. However, if the employer is unable or unwilling to help, or if complications arise, the person who is relocating may find themselves in a difficult situation. If you are partway through a move but have discovered that you need more legal advice than your employer can give you, then you may want to seek out your own immigration attorney, who can offer personalized advice, and help smooth your transition to the U.S.

5. They Can Help You Avoid Costly Errors

Like almost any complex legal procedure, immigration involves a lot of paperwork. If you are filling out paperwork for multiple people or family members, this task can become even more daunting. In addition, there are many cases that may require extra attention if you are an immigrant, such as getting married, acquiring a visa, or procuring a green card for yourself or a family member. It is very important that every detail of your paperwork is done correctly.

If you are not familiar with all the laws, or if English is not your first language, there are many opportunities for mistakes that can seriously damage your chances of having the paperwork go through in a timely fashion, and in some cases, may even result in your application being rejected. In these instances, a personal immigration attorney can help make sure all your paperwork is done properly before it is submitted for approval.

6. They Can Help You Understand All Your Options

Every client is a unique human being with a particular set of circumstances. So many factors can affect your eligibility for a visa, work permit, permanent residence, or citizenship. Your immigration process can be seriously affected by your country of origin, your legal history, and even whether or not you currently family members already living in the U.S. When you are trying to plot a course of action, your lawyer can help you understand all your options, not just the most obvious ones. In addition, if you are ever in a situation that is urgent, such as facing deportation or a legal emergency, your attorney’s expertise can have a significant impact on your chance of getting a favorable outcome.

7. They Can Help You Find Legal Employment

Generally speaking, immigrants who are new to the country will want to find work once they have arrived in the U.S. If you are moving to the U.S. and don’t already have work arranged before you arrive, you may be overwhelmed by all of the things you have to do. Your lawyer can help you apply to jobs, find new opportunities, and understand other important processes such as income tax. In addition, they can connect you to career centers that provide counseling that is tailored to immigrants, or to workers who may not speak English as a native language. All this will put you in a better position to find better quality work, in a legal way.

8. They Can Continue to Help You After Your Move Has Been Completed

When you first come to the U.S., you will have to go through a lot of steps and processes in order to make the move. But you still may need legal advice, even after you have found a place to live, a job, and completed all the necessary paperwork. There are many laws in the U.S. that affect immigrants in unique ways, which could result in deportation even if you have already gained permanent residence. Given how much work it is to come to the U.S., it would be a terrible waste to lose this progress by making an error that results in deportation.

Immigration lawyers can lend their expertise long after you have made a home for yourself in the U.S., and give you peace of mind that you have a much better chance of avoiding this unfortunate scenario.

Give Us a Call and Set Up an Appointment Today

Whether you are looking to come into the country for the first time, or change your status, we can make sure you are ready to take that next step. If you are looking for help in navigating the complicated world of U.S. immigration law, please contact the attorneys at Fong Ilagan, LLP at 713.772.2300, or visit www.fonglegal.com. Our legal team has decades of experience and a wealth of expertise that can help you every step of the way. We look forward to serving you!

How Immigration Lawyers Support Spanish Speaking Clients

Houston is one of the fastest-growing cities in the entire country, and home to well over 2 million residents. At Fong Ilagan, LLP, we pride ourselves on our commitment to serving all members of our community. Our legal team is able to go above and beyond in helping non-English-speaking clients. We are able to work in nine different languages, including Spanish, which meets a crucial need in our local community. If your primary language is Spanish, working with a Spanish speaking immigration lawyer can be the difference between success and failure in your case.

How Can a Spanish Speaking Immigration Lawyer Help You?

For most English speakers, finding legal representation in the United States is mostly a matter of identifying which attorneys have the right legal skills. Many people never are faced with the thought that they might need to look for someone who also understands them at a basic level. Yet native Spanish speakers (and those who speak other languages) need to be able to communicate with their legal consultants clearly and accurately.

In addition, in the United States, it is also necessary for legal representatives to be fluent in English in order to navigate the legal system. In this case, a Spanish speaking immigration lawyer needs to be bilingual, both understanding the needs of the client and also understanding the ins and outs of U.S. laws. There are four reasons this can be particularly important.

1. They Can Help You Simply By Using Basic Conversation Skills

If you wind up needing legal advice, you will want to understand your options as best as possible. This is true for speakers of any language. English speakers will need their legal options explained to them, so they understand what consequences their choices and actions will have. If you speak a non-English language, you may find it more challenging to communicate even in small ways with an attorney who only speaks English.

This is especially important when it comes to asking questions. You may know exactly what you need to ask, and what you want to know. However, if it is not possible to communicate your needs to your legal counsel, you will be more limited in your choices. If Spanish is your native language, you’ll not only have an “easier time” talking to a Spanish speaking lawyer––you’ll get more information as a result of your easier conversations. In addition, the quality of the advice you get will also be improved, as you can ask for clarification and be assured that your questions will actually be answered properly.

2. They Can Help Complete Forms and Paperwork

In many cases, forms and papers will need to be filled out in English. This can be overwhelming to someone who does not read the language well. Even if the client is able to translate the forms carefully, there is a risk that an improperly filled-out form can slow down an application process, or even result in a denied visa. The consequences of a small error can be very difficult to undo, and it is much easier to get it done properly the first time. A Spanish speaking immigration lawyer will have both the legal skills to understand these forms, and the language skills to explain it all to a client.

3. They Can Help Build a Foundation of Trust

When you are working with a legal team, you are often making some of the most important decisions that will affect your life, and the lives of your loved ones. In these circumstances, it is absolutely essential to develop a strong sense of trust and respect with your attorneys. People generally have a much easier time placing trust in a person who speaks their language and will understand them. Share language instantly bridges the gap between people.

Legal procedures can get complicated and occasionally frustrating, but it makes all the difference when you have total confidence that your legal team is looking out for your best interests. You are more able to speak openly and candidly with your attorneys, and the more they understand about your needs, the better they will be able to help you.

4. They Can Help Avoid Costly Mistakes

Law can often be intricate and complex. If lawyers don’t know what they are doing, cases and applications can easily become derailed by bureaucratic complications. If there is a gap in understanding between lawyer and client––if they cannot understand each other well from the very beginning––this increases the likelihood of a miscalculation or mistake further along in the process. Sometimes it’s possible to recover from these errors, but it is much better not to make them to begin with.

The legal system is often overwhelmed by the amount of work there is to do. Finding time for someone to change a decision or revisit a ruling can cost valuable time. In the case of immigration, lost time can often lead to missed deadlines and serious complications. When you work with a team that speaks your native language, you’re able to avoid these tiny costly mistakes that can potentially change the outcome of your immigration process.

Why Not Use a Translator Instead?

In these cases, it is often not enough simply to have a translator. Someone who is bilingual may be able to translate English into Spanish and vice-versa, but unless the translator also has a solid understanding of legal processes, there is the possibility that even a small detail can become confused, and can hurt the chances of a successful case or application process.

You Don’t Have to Sacrifice Quality

In many cases, people choose to get legal help based on expertise. You might want an immigration lawyer with many years of experience in a certain field, but this lawyer may not speak your native language as well as English. With Fong Ilagan, you don’t need to sacrifice one or the other. You can get a Spanish speaking immigration lawyer with a wealth of experience in Business Immigration, Employment-Based Visas, Family Immigration, Citizenship, Naturalization, EB-5 Investment Visas, and more.

Our Law Firm

We have been serving clients for decades, and are deeply committed to our community in Houston. Our lawyers have extensive experience in the fields of immigration services, global migration, and business-related immigration cases. Whatever your personal case––whether you are trying to avoid being deported, or are investigating obtaining employment-based or family-based visas––our team can bring our legal expertise, and explain your options in your language.

Our Values

We believe in the values of integrity and hard work, and we strive to be client-focused in everything we do. We provide creative solutions to difficult problems, in a friendly and professional manner. We believe in courtesy, no matter your background or circumstances. You can rest assured that we will do everything possible to help you with your own personal immigration journey.

For more information on our Spanish speaking immigration lawyer services, please contact the attorneys at Fong Ilagan, LLP at 713.772.2300, or visit www.fonglegal.com. If English is not your preferred language, you can adjust the settings on our site to Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish (you will see the “Select Language” option in the upper right portion of the screen.) Our experienced legal team will reply to your inquiry as soon as we can. Esperamos poder servirle… we look forward to serving you!

Business immigration lawyers Houston

What does the future look like for the H-1B Visa Program?

What does the future look like for the H-1B Visa Program?

Recent reports from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) show that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is denying H-1B visa petitions at higher rates than ever. NFAP reports show in 2015 H-1B visas were being denied at a rate of 6%. This year, the denial rate is averaging a whopping 24%. Houston immigration attorneys, William Fong and Gary Ilagan, break down why this is happening, what the increase of denials means for employers and international employees, and what’s ahead for the H-1B visa program.

Continue reading What does the future look like for the H-1B Visa Program?

El Día Mundial de los Migrantes y Refugiados termina un mes ocupado en noticias de inmigración

El “Día Mundial de los Migrantes y Refugiados” finaliza un mes ocupado de septiembre para Immigration News

El domingo 29 de septiembre se celebró el “Día Mundial de los Migrantes y Refugiados” del Vaticano. Más de 100 años después del primer día en que fue instituido por el Papa Pío X en 1914, parece que se celebró en años anteriores en tiempos mucho menos ambiguos.

Tres años después del comienzo de la administración actual en la casa blanca, muchos creen que los inmigrantes tienen poco que celebrar en este momento; con más de 50,000 inmigrantes retenidos en centros de detención en los Estados Unidos. Además, el reciente anuncio del Gobierno de reducir el límite de refugiados a la baja sin precedentes de 18,000, parece, a primera vista, poco o nada para los solicitantes de asilo. esperar.
Continue reading El Día Mundial de los Migrantes y Refugiados termina un mes ocupado en noticias de inmigración

Corporaciones estadounidenses unen fuerzas y voces para la reforma migratoria

2019 ve a un número creciente de corporaciones de EE. UU. Unirse a las mesas redondas corporativas de inmigración para que se escuche su voz

No es fácil entregar noticias de inmigración sin mencionar las actividades y determinaciones de la administración Trump. El foco de las noticias se ha concentrado en los últimos meses en gran medida en políticas y protocolos instigados para detener el número de inmigrantes que ingresan a los Estados Unidos a través de la frontera sur. Pero, ¿cuáles podrían ser los efectos colaterales del clima de inmigración actual para las empresas estadounidenses y la economía en general? Ahora que las corporaciones estadounidenses están formando sus propias iniciativas de inmigración en línea con los recientes cambios de las estrictas reglamentaciones del gobierno, ¿Qué pasa si las empresas pueden hacer algo para ayudarse a sí mismas?.
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Boletín de visas para octubre de 2019 por el U.S. Departamento de Estado

Boletín de visas del Departamento de Estado para octubre de 2019 y ajuste de las planillas del estado en boletín de visas

El Departamento de Estado de EE. UU. Publicó a principios de este mes su Boletín de Visas mensual actualizado para octubre de 2019. El Boletín, que se puede ver en su totalidad en el siguiente sitio web https://travel.state.gov, detalla la disponibilidad de inmigrantes durante octubre para : “Fechas de acción final” y “Fechas para presentar solicitudes” y proporciona información de referencia útil para solicitantes, abogados de inmigración y asistentes legales por igual. Los cuadros indican cuándo los solicitantes de visa de inmigrante deben ser notificados para reunir y presentar la documentación requerida al Centro Nacional de Visas. Para obtener más aclaraciones sobre la información contenida en este boletín, comuníquese con Fong Ilagan para obtener ayuda.
Continue reading Boletín de visas para octubre de 2019 por el U.S. Departamento de Estado

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