How to Successfully Maintain Your Immigration Status
- 1). Do not overstay your visa. Overstaying a visa is the surest way to not only get deported, but can also result in future banishment. Depending on the type of visa and length of overstay, the offender may be required to pay a penalty fine. Any illegal immigrant found to have overstayed her visa by one year or more is also subject to ten years banishment from reentering the United States (Immigration and Nationality Act).
- 2). Don't break any laws. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is severely strict on felony charges. Any permanent or temporary alien convicted of a felony, whether a misdemeanor or one of a more serious nature, are at risk for immigration trial and deportation.
- 3). Keep the USCIS informed. Failure to report your whereabouts, change of address and any decisions for a change in immigration status are grounds for trial and deportation. In the event of a change of residential address, you can report the change free of charge on the USCIS website at USCIS.gov.
- 4). Do not lie on immigration forms. Filing false or misrepresented information on any government form, even after your visa or green card have been obtained, is grounds for removal if discovered.
- 5). Keep the conditions of your specific visa. If you are on a work visa, you must maintain your position with the company you received your visa on. Legal residents who status is based on marriage must be found to be living with his U.S. citizen spouse. Green card residents must not leave the United States for more than one year at a time. All visas come with conditions on travel, work and status change; you must follow the rules of your individual visa.
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