The US immigration process can be daunting for those who wish to immigrate to the United States. There are so many regulations and rules that it can be tough to adequately be well prepared for US entry. Immigration attorneys (such as this) can certainly help your attempts by helping you to organize and prepare.

Customs Inspection

When you arrive in the United States at a point of entry you must be prepared with all necessary documentation. These may include the following:

·    Your passport
·    Your U.S. visa
·    Your green card
·    Other documentation required for your particular immigration program

You will likely be asked questions regarding your immigration authorization, where you plan to live and other matters to confirm your status as a legal immigrant. Contrary to popular belief, a U.S. visa doesn’t guarantee entry into the United States. It enables you to travel to the United States and make an application for entry. Customs inspectors can still choose to deny your application. This might be done for a number of reasons including incomplete paperwork, false statements or carrying contraband. In case your name is on a watch list or you cannot adequately explain where you will live and work, inspectors can deny entry. Proper preparation is very important. All paperwork must be organized. Immigration lawyers will prepare you for U.S. entry by providing checklists of all the required documentation you need. It is important to have all this information quickly accessible when you reach customs inspection.

What Is an I-94

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is a separate governmental agency charged with determining who may enter the United States. If all your documentation is in order, you’ll be issued an I-94 card, which you must keep. The I-94 determines how long you are able to remain in the U.S. All other documentation you may have authorizing you to stay for a certain period of time is superseded by whatever date is entered on the I-94. In plain English, the I-94 determines just how long you may stay. If D/S is entered on the card, this means duration of status, and you will be permitted to stay so long as you continue in the same job or job category or continue as a student in an educational program.

What To Do if Denied Entry

In case you have an immigration lawyer, you should contact her or him immediately if denied U.S. entry. If your visa is valid but your application is denied, you are able to appeal for a hearing in front of the Immigration Court. An administrative judge will decide the case. Negative decisions can be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals. You’ll be given information about how to accomplish these items, but you should hire an immigration attorney from an immigration law firm of good reputation to assist you in legal matters.

Although formal immigration into the United States began with passage of the Naturalization Act in 1790, immigrants started coming to North America long ago. The American Indians are believed to have migrated across the Bering Straits 20 thousand years ago. The Vikings established temporary outposts in North America around 1000 AD. However, it was not until the 1500s that Europeans first landed in North America searching for riches. The initial group to generally be recognized as settlers were the Pilgrims when they established their colony at what’s now Massachusetts in 1620.

Along with the formation of the United States and the Constitution came the very first item of immigration law – the Naturalization Act of 1790.
In 1875 the United States Supreme Court ruled that regulation of immigration into the United States came under the jurisdiction of the federal government. From the 1820s through the 1880s, the US experienced a significant flow of 15 million immigrants, primarily from Europe. In 1891 the US government began inspecting, admitting, rejecting and processing. Ellis Island was opened in 1892 as the precessing center for people immigrating into the United States.

Immigration law has experienced setbacks, too. Throughout US history there has been a fear of immigrants that has spurred groups to push for laws to block certain ethnic groups from immigrating. As an example, the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 forbade certain laborer groups from entry into the country. Between 1917 and 1924 several other laws were enacted to lower the influx of immigrants. A quota system had also been established and passport restrictions were enacted that excluded more aliens. One of the more notable immigration restricting acts was the Alien Restriction Act. Enacted in 1950, this act required all non US citizens aliens in the USA to register and receive what’s now referred to as a “green card.” The basis for the current immigration system was codified in 1952 and established immigration quotas and preferences.

The US Immigration and Naturalization Service was replaced by the United States Customs and Immigrations Service (USCIS) and placed directly under the Homeland Security Agency in 2003 as a part of sweeping reforms to the country’s anti-terrorism initiatives. The legislation governing US immigration makes this process more complex. On the plus side, there’s always a immigration law practice nearby, staffed with seasoned immigration attorneys to help aliens seeking citizenship with the process.

Professional immigration lawyers (like at this website) know the pertinent law and can also assist in making the task of applying for and gaining citizenship easier. An experienced immigration lawyer knows what the law states and just how it applies to individual circumstances. Looking for the assistance of an experienced immigration attorney is a wise choice in simplifying the frustrating maze that immigrants face when trying to get United States citizenship.