• What is the different between a Greencard & Citizenship

​

The major difference difference between being a Greencard holder and a Citizen is one's right to vote.  In order to vote in the United States you must be at least eighteen years of age and a citizen.  If the government finds that you have voted without holding the proper immigration paperwork, that is a deportable offense.

 

The second difference is that it is near impossible to deport a citizen of the United States, however, holding a Greencard does not protect you from being deported/removed in the event that you have committed a crime of moral turpitide. 

 

Citizens also recieve greater public benefits than permanent residents.  If you need assistance in filing your citizenship paperwork or preparing for the civics test at the interview, call us- we will be happy to help.

 

• I would like to invest in the united states, does that help me get permanent residence, i.e. can my kids go to school and can i work in the Us?

 

There are multiple programs for investors, each with different benefits:

 

1. L1/L2 - A program in which if one owns or is a high executive of a business abroad, one can obtain a working visa to the United States, in which they can bring their spouse and all children under the age of 21, so that they may work to establish the parent company's branch office in the United States. 

   1. Requires minimal investment

   2. Must be working for the parent company for a minimum of 1 year immediately preceeding the filing of an immigration application

   3. NO max on number of years issued, but will require the beneficiary to apply for renewals every few years

   4. L1/L2 can lead to a Greencard/Permanent Residency

2. E1/E2 - Treaty Traders or Treaty Investors. This is for investors who intend to generate 50% of their revenue trading goods and services to the investor's home country; OR for investors that will invest somehow in the United States by either purchasing an existing business or creating a new business venture.

   1. Requires minimal investment

   2. Does NOT lead to a greencard/permanent residence

   3. Beneficiary may bring spouse and children under the age of 21

   4. Must be a citizen of a "treaty country" (click here to see if your country qualifies)

3. EB-5 - Million Dollar or Half Million Investment

   1. Invest $1 Million in a new enterprise; OR

   2. Invest $ 500,000 in an "underdeveloped area"; OR

   3. Investment $ 550,000 in a government bond, which will be returned in full in six years.

   4. Leads to a direct greencard for beneficiary, spouse and all children under the age of 21

   5. Government only requires that at the end of two years, if using option 1 or 2, that the investor hire 10 fulltime employees.

 

Investment visas can be tricky, call us, we'll be happy to discuss the ins and outs with you!

 

• I, or my family member, have a hard time speaking english, how can we pass the civics test required for citizenship?

 

Not to worry, our office staff is trained at preparing people of all races and ages on how pass the civics test.  For a small fee we offer one on one tutoring, teaching the applicant how to answer interview questions, how to read and write the commonly asked questions, and the required amount of American history.  Attorney Sungina J. Vachhani will then accompany the Applicant to the interview, making sure that all goes smoothly.  

 

Our office staff speaks Hindi, Gujurati, Urdu, Sindhi, Mandarin & Cantonese.  We also have the availability to reach Spanish translators in the event that such is needed.