Philadelphia Immigration Law Firm

Immigration Law

Surin & Griffin, P.C. is a dynamic Philadelphia immigration law firm with multilingual attorneys and staff.  Our law firm serves individuals, businesses, and institutions facing basic immigration issues and more complex situations involving immigration law and nationality law.

Included among our clients are foreign students and workers, professionals, and businesses seeking opportunities in the United States.  Our Philadelphia immigration attorneys find the best, most practical solutions to immigration issues, and we communicate openly with our clients in their own language to help them understand how immigration laws affect their unique situation.

Immigration law and enforcement

A Philadelphia immigration lawyer at Surin & Griffin understands the complexities of immigration law and how it is enforced.  Federal immigration law outlines the rights and responsibilities of foreign nationals within the borders of the United States.  It determines who may legally enter the U.S. and how long they may stay, and provides a process by which foreign nationals may gain U.S. residency rights and become naturalized U.S. citizens.

The U.S. Congress exercises control over immigration policy through legislation.  States have limited authority over immigration policy, which is congressionally mandated and enforced by three agencies within the U.S. Department of Homeland Security:

• U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) administers immigration services, permanent residence, naturalization, and political asylum.
• Enforcement of immigration policies is handled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
• Border control functions and customs inspection services are administered by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), formerly a part of the Department of Justice, no longer exists.

Visa process

The federal government, working through the Homeland Security agencies, controls the application and issuance process for non-immigrant and immigrant visas.

• Non-immigrant visas are issued to tourists and temporary business visitors for short-term stays.  The many different kinds of non-immigrant U.S. visas include specific ones for professional athletes, au pairs, business visitors, students, crewmembers of foreign aircraft, visitors for medical treatment, temporary agricultural workers, working journalists, and religious workers, among others.
• Immigrant visas are issued to those seeking to stay within the U.S. permanently and to apply for citizenship.  Foreign nationals holding immigrant visas are legally allowed to work in the U.S.

Benefit from our experience

Not all immigration law firms in Philadelphia are alike.  Our firm speaks your language, understands the challenges you face, and knows how to find the best solution to your immigration issue.  Call us at 1-888-452-9578 to see how we can help, or contact us online.