10 most common mistakes when submitting documents to a green card
'03.10.2019'
Source: Simple citizen
Every year, more than a million people apply for a green card in the United States. This is a very important point for all families, and for many it is the first step to American citizenship. Often, applicants make mistakes in documents submitted to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Because of them, the consideration of the issue of issuing a green card may be delayed or even lead to failure.
Site Simple citizen analyzed the most common reasons why the documents on the green card can not accept. ForumDaily publishes a translation of this article.
1. You did not submit all required forms.
Possible loss of time: from 6 months to 2 years
Probable loss of money: $500
A green card application is not the only form you fill out and submit to the US government agency. It is not that simple. An application for a green card is a complex “web” of 8-12 of various government forms, plus additional documents. Together they draw up a green card application. You can apply for a status change for a relative who is already in the United States or fill out a green card application for a spouse / parent or parent who lives in another country. In any case, you will have to submit several forms in order to ultimately receive a green card.
If you do not submit any form, this is guaranteed to create a delay in reviewing the application. In some cases, for example, you can submit all the required forms to the US government at the same time. This is called simultaneous feed, and it helps reduce the process time by years. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you have not missed a single form, otherwise you will lose valuable time.
On the subject: How to fill in the application form for the Green Card 2021 lottery: complete official instructions in Russian
2. Documents not translated into English
Possible loss of time: 6 months
When submitting documents to the green card, you hand over a lot of additional papers confirming your identity. This is a birth certificate, marriage certificate, driver’s license, passport, visas, bank accounts, etc. If you are not from an English-speaking country, then the documents must be translated into English. If you do not translate the documents and do not certify the translation, this may delay consideration of the application for up to six months.
3. No signature on forms
Possible loss of time: 6 months
Probable loss of money: $ 50-100
All efforts spent on the perfect filling of forms will be in vain if you have not signed them, and exactly where you need them. This is important: make sure you SIGNED ALL FORMS. Also make sure you understand correctly who should sign which form. In some places, the recipient of the green card, the “beneficiary” or the “applicant”, signs. In other cases, the one who sponsors the recipient of the green card, he is the “applicant” or “applicant” on individual forms, signs. This is hard to understand, but if you don’t understand at all, then USCIS will automatically reject the application. Take a few minutes to re-check everything before sending the documents to the US government.
4. Incorrect payment of the filing fee
Possible loss of time: 2-4 months
Many people incorrectly pay government fees for processing green card applications. Each USCIS form contains instructions on how much to pay for the processing of this particular form or application. For an application for a green card, get ready to put more than $ 1 000 into the account of the US government. If you pay $ 100-300 - this indicates some kind of error. USCIS will return your application to you, along with the invoice for the correct amount, and you will automatically be moved to the end of the queue, which can not but disappoint.
5. You missed important deadlines.
Possible loss of time: 6 months
Other possible consequences: Refusal to accept the application
After you arrive in the United States and begin the process of applying for a green card, the watch begins the countdown for several important deadlines that you must be aware of. Do not forget about the validity of your visa, the date of processing the application, the dates of the interview and, finally, the deadline for updating after 2 years. If you miss these dates, your application may be rejected. The American government is very strict about deadlines and assumes that if a person does not comply with them, he does not want to get a legal residence permit. Make sure that you correctly understood the deadlines for the application, as well as where you will need to be at this time, so as not to miss an important meeting and get a green card.
On the subject: DV-2 green card lottery launched on October 2021: how to participate to win
6. Random submission of false information
Possible loss of time: 6 months - 1 year
Other possible consequences: LIFETIME ban on entering the US
Incorrectly specified personal data, even if it is an accident, can be counted as the submission of false information in the questionnaire. If the US government suspects you of this, you will be uniquely banned from entering and may be forced to leave the United States forever. Always have on hand all the dates, places, details of convictions and other important details when filling out forms. So you will avoid mistakes in your own data and the subsequent ban on entry into the United States.
7. You fell into the hands of fraudsters
Possible loss of time: 6 months - 2 of the year
Probable loss of money: $ 500-5000 and more
Every year, thousands of people try to benefit from immigrants. One example is notaries. The most important thing to remember in the process of applying for a green card is “if everything sounds too good to be true, then probably it’s not true”. Stay away from websites that ask for a credit card number and do not give guarantees. Do not communicate with muddy lawyers who demand payment even before they figure out your case. Do most of the work yourself before confiding to someone asking for help with immigration documents. If you make a mistake and contact the fraudsters, you may lose the chance to get a residence permit forever.
8. You did not get the help you need.
Possible loss of time: 6 months
If you are trying to do something very difficult without outside help, there is a high probability that you will go wrong. When you learn to play chess, mistakes are good, you grow up on them and avoid them in the next game. But immigration is not a game; here mistakes are expensive. Do not waste valuable time and money trying to do everything yourself. Filling out immigration documents scares even those who are fluent in English. There are many organizations and resources that can help you with the process. Use them to avoid mistakes. Each year, USCIS rejects more than 100 000 applications because of errors that could have been avoided. With the right help, you can easily avoid these mistakes and save many months or even years of waiting. Not asking for help can be one of the most expensive blunders.
9. You do not meet the requirements for filing
Possible loss of time: 6 months
If you are applying for a green card, but do not meet the requirements, you will be refused. It is elementary, but sometimes it is difficult to understand how and when it can be served. If you apply for a green card too early, too late, or something else like this, you will lose many months of valuable time. USCIS has developed special tools with which to understand. Even if you’ve done it yourself, sometimes it’s helpful to consult with an immigration attorney to make sure you don’t miss anything important.
10. Problems with financial requirements
Possible loss of time: 2-4 months
When applying for a green card, you need to have a financial sponsor. This person submits Form I-864, Warranty Support Letter. There are several requirements for a financial sponsor: he must be a US citizen, reside in the United States, and his income must comply with the requirements in I-864P form, where the cost of living is prescribed for the provision of a letter of guarantee.
If your sponsor is not earning enough, he can invite another person to act as a co-sponsor, if together their income meets the requirements of the American government. But if one more person is added as a sponsor, the income requirements also increase. In general, in connection with the I-864 form, a number of errors can be made, so it is very important that you carefully read the requirements for this document.
This list is far from complete. When applying for a green card, it is possible for the applicant to make other mistakes. But if you devote enough time to this issue and carefully go through all the stages, there should be no problems. This is a fascinating part of your life, and let it pass easily and without stress.
Recall that acceptance of applications for the green card 2021 continues: The online registration for participating in the Green Card 2020 lottery opened on October 2 2019 of the year 12: 00 Eastern Standard Time and will continue until 12: 00 5 November 2019 Eastern Time.
Registration takes place only on one site - www.dvlottery.state.gov. The registration process is free.
ForumDaily offers detailed instructions for filling out the DV-2021 questionnaire for those who decide to participate in the Diversification Lottery (DV).
