Maintaining Status/Travel Documents

Dallas-Fort Worth Immigration Attorney

Maintaining Status and Travel Documents

Once you have legal status in the United States, it is essential to keep it. Falling out of status can lead to serious immigration consequences, including removal/deportation. Similarly, if you wish to travel outside of the U.S., it is important to have the proper travel documents to ensure that you can return without problem.

At the law office of Mark E. Jacobs, P.C., our Dallas-Fort Worth immigration attorney has more than 25 years of immigration experience. During that time, he has helped many clients who have fallen out of status. Our law firm understands the cost of this common immigration mistake and can help you avoid it.

Maintaining Status

Falling out of status will not only put you at risk for removal/deportation. It can also:

• Make it impossible to return to the U.S. when you leave it for travel
• Make it more difficult to adjust your status to permanent residence

There are many ways to fall out of status. For example, a person in the U.S. on a student visa is not allowed to work; if he or she decides to work without applying for work authorization, he or she may fall out of status. Similarly, if an individual in the U.S. on a travel visa stays longer than the visa allows, he or she will fall out of status.

Individuals with green cards can also fall out of status. If they travel out of the country for more than six months, there is a presumption that they were not planning on maintaining their statuses. If they are gone for more than a year, they can lose their green card.

We can explain your obligations and help ensure that you meet them at all times.

Travel Documents

Maintaining your status is one of the many reasons to ensure that you have the proper documents before travelling. We help clients assess their travel requirements and apply for travel documents such as:

• Advance parole: If you have filed for permanent residence and your case is still pending, you will need to obtain advance parole before travelling abroad.
• Re-entry permit: If you are a permanent resident and you would like to travel overseas for more than six months and up to two years, you can request a re-entry permit.
• Refugee travel document: A refugee travel document allows refugees to travel overseas.

In addition to applying for travel documents, you should also make sure that your green cards are renewed (when applicable) and your foreign passports are up to date.

Contact a Nationwide Immigration Lawyer located in Dallas-Fort Worth

For more information, or to schedule an appointment about maintaining your status or immigrant travel documents, please contact us.