Surin & Griffin, P.C.
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Obtaining a green card, also known as a Permanent Resident Card, identifies you as a lawful resident, allowing you to live and work in the United States. Green cards are valid for 10 years, at which time you have the option of renewing your card. We highly recommend that you apply for naturalization (citizenship) for…

The Diversity Visa Program, also known as the Diversity Lottery or DV Lottery, offers up to 50,000 immigrant visas to foreign nationals residing in countries with the lowest immigration rates to the United States. The program, spearheaded by the State Department’s Immigration and Nationality Act, is considered a “lottery” as recipients are randomly chosen from…

If you are considering seeking asylum in the United States, it is important to understand what defensive asylum is and how it can help protect you from deportation. Defensive asylum is a type of protection that can be granted to immigrants who have been persecuted or fear persecution due to their race, religion, nationality, political…

Each year, the United States designates a set number of employment-based visas, allowing foreign workers to establish themselves in the American job market and become permanent residents. American businesses, in turn, benefit from the expertise and experience of international workers, further cementing collaboration between the United States and other countries. The United States currently approves…

Becoming a lawful permanent resident of the United States presents immigrants with opportunities for a better life, freedom, and education or career advancement that may not be available in their countries of origin. Applying for a lawful permanent resident card, commonly known as a green card, can be a long and challenging process, and often…

Immigrant workers have made a profound and significant contribution to the United States, helping to establish the country as a world leader in technical progress and innovation since the early twentieth century. However, that influence has been waning in recent years, due in part to visa backlogs. Studies of immigration patterns throughout United States history…

According to a recent article in the Philadelphia Inquirer, Philadelphia seeks to join the 15 other locations in the United States that have been designated as a “Certified Welcoming” community. Philadelphia has a reputation for welcoming immigrants and recognizing the contributions that the immigrant population makes, both locally and nationally. In fact, the city has…

Immigration is a polarizing topic in this country. Some people believe that immigrants take jobs from native-born citizens, and that they have a negative impact on job prospects for locals. Evidence suggests that this is simply not true. According to a recent study that took a comprehensive look at the impact that immigrants have on…

Even the mere threat of deportation can be terrifying. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can come knocking at any moment and if you do not have proper paperwork or documentation showing you are legally allowed to be in the country, you could face deportation. Read further for the answers to common questions about deportation to…

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the government body that issues visas, which are then used to allow a citizen of another country entry into the United States temporarily. There are many different kinds of visas, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. The “L visa,” or L-1 visa, is used specifically by…