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The Emerald Isle Immigration Center's highly qualified staff assists clients in many aspects of immigrant life and law. The EIIC prides itself on the extraordinary services it provides.

2024 Fall Fundraiser

Join the Emerald Isle Immigration Board at our upcoming Fall Fundraiser at the American Irish Historical Society. Enjoy an open bar and hors d’oeuvres at this welcoming fall benefit, as we honor our organization, our staff, our clients and our work.

Thursday, October 24th 2024

6:00PM – 8:00PM

American Irish Historical Society

991 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10028

$150 General Ticket

RSVP Tickets through Eventbrite

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1042314158707?aff=oddtdtcreator

Please note, if you cannot attend the event but look to support us, please consider writing a line of support which will be included in our 2024 Fall Fundraiser program booklet. In an effort to conserve paper and support an environmentally friendly option, we are producing a small event program and will reduce messages of support to the following-

Program Back Cover Full Page – $500 Program Inside Cover Full Page – $250

One Line Message – $25

For more information or to learn about further supporting us, please contact events@eiic.org

Or make a donation at

https://www.eiic.org/support-eiic

DV-2026 Diversity Visa Lottery Registration Period Opens October 2nd

The annual diversity visa lottery registration period opens once again on October 2nd until November 5th for those who are eligible to apply for a green card to reside permanently in the United States. Only entries submitted during this period will be accepted and considered for selection in the lottery. Applications will only be accepted online via the U.S. Department of State official website at dvprogram.state.gov

In recent years there has been an increase in online scams promising green cards or quicker service for a fee.  EIIC’s Immigration Attorney and Director of Immigration Legal Services, John A. Stahl, Esq., urges those interested in applying to note that “[t]here is still no fee to apply and there is only one official website to register.” He advises individuals to ignore any email offers to help complete or expedite the application process.

Please call either of our offices if you need assistance with your application. Alternatively, if you have questions, please note that we will be hosting presentations in the near future.

The immigration legal services staff at the Center is once again appealing to potential applicants to apply early this year, cautioning that the official DV Lottery website can get frozen closer to the deadline of noon on Tuesday, November 5th.

If you are a member of a local group or organization and would like our staff to speak to your group on the DV Lottery in October or on any immigration topic at a future meeting, please contact John A. Stahl, Esq., Director of Immigration Legal Services and Immigration Attorney at 718-478-5502, extension 201.

Check our website and social media for additional information and upcoming public meeting dates.

Website: www.eiic.org

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EIICNY/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EIIC1

Instagram: @eiicny

EIIC Immigration legal services staff has helped many, who are currently in the United States and are still in status, to apply on the visa waiver program or on a temporary work or exchange visitor visa. “The green card lottery is a yearly opportunity for qualified applicants who are legally in the United States or overseas to attain permanent resident status here with no strings attached,” according to EIIC’s Immigration Legal Services Director, John A. Stahl.

This year 55,000 green cards will be available through a lottery system to individuals coming from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The State Department’s Kentucky Consular Center holds the annual lottery and chooses winners randomly from about 6-8 million qualified entries. Over 100,000 entries are selected and given the opportunity to apply for permanent residence. If permanent residence is granted, then the individual, their spouse and any unmarried children under the age of 21 will be authorized to live and work permanently in the United States. “The DV Lottery is one of the few ways that exist to apply for a green card. Despite the low allocation of green cards to Ireland, it is worth the effort, if you really do want a long-term option to stay legally in America,” stated Siobhan Dennehy, EIIC’s Executive Director. “I equate the odds to playing the New York State Lottery as there are around 8 million applications from all over the world annually. Although you apply for the green card in 2024, you will not be notified about your application until 2025 and you won’t actually receive the green card itself until 2026, that’s why they call it the DV-2026 lottery, which can be confusing.”

Only natives of certain countries are eligible to apply for the green card lottery. Those born in the following countries are NOT eligible to apply for the DV-2026 lottery because a total of more than 50,000 immigrants came from these countries to the U.S. in the previous five years: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Venezuela and Vietnam. Persons born in Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR and Taiwan are eligible. An applicant may, however, claim the country of birth of their spouse, if eligible, or of either parent if they were born in a country of which neither of their parents was a native or a resident at the time of their birth.

All applicants also must have a high school diploma or the equivalent, defined in the United States as the successful completion of a 12-year course of elementary and secondary education or they must have two years of work experience within the last five years in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience to perform. Entries for the DV-2026 diversity visa lottery must be submitted electronically from noon EDT on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 through noon EST on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. Applicants may access the electronic diversity visa entry form at dvprogram.state.gov only during the registration period beginning October 2nd. Paper entries will not be accepted. All entries by an applicant will be disqualified if more than one entry for the applicant is received, regardless of who submitted the entry. Applicants may prepare and submit their own entries, or have someone submit the entry for them. The Department of State will issue DV lottery entrants an electronic confirmation number and notice upon receipt of a correctly completed Electronic Diversity Visa Entry Form.

Applicants must also attach separate digital photographs of themselves, their spouses and unmarried children less than 21 years of age (except spouses or children who are already permanent residents or U.S. citizens). The photographs must be in the Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) format and meet specific resolutions (minimum 600 pixels high by 600 pixels wide), color depths (24-bit color) and kilobytes (maximum 240 KB) requirements. If a photograph print is scanned, the print must be two inches square and be scanned at a resolution of 300 dots per inch (dpi) and with specific color depths. The photograph must be taken within the last six months and no glasses may be worn in the photo. If the digital image does not conform to the specifications, the application will be automatically disqualified.

Applicants will be selected at random by computer from among all qualified entries. All applicants will be required to go back to the website to find out whether their entry has been selected in the DV-2026 lottery or to find out they have not been selected. Selectees will only be notified of their selection through the “entry status check” available starting May 3, 2025 at the website dvprogram.state.gov. The online entry status check will be the ONLY means by which selectees will be notified of their selection for DV-2024. The Kentucky Consular Center will not be mailing out notification letters. Those selected in the random drawing are not notified of their selection by e-mail. Those individuals not selected will be notified of their non-selection through the web-based “entry status check.”

No fee is charged to enter the annual DV program. The U.S. Government employs no outside consultants or private services to operate the DV program. Any intermediaries or others who offer assistance to prepare submissions for applicants do so without the authority or consent of the U.S. Government. Use of any outside intermediary or assistance to prepare a DV entry is entirely at the applicant’s discretion. A qualified entry submitted electronically directly by an applicant has an equal chance of being selected by the computer at the Kentucky Consular Center as does an entry submitted electronically through a paid intermediary who completes the entry for the applicant.

The current immigration laws carry heavy penalties for visa overstays. Those who have overstayed their visa by 6 months, face a 3 year bar upon their departure from the United States, if they have overstayed for one year or more, they are subject to a 10 year bar. Successful lottery applicants who are undocumented in the US must be processed for a visa at a US Consulate abroad under existing immigration laws. Departing the US will trigger the 3 or 10 year bars making them ineligible for a visa. Undocumented lottery winners with a relative petition or an employer labor certification pending before April 30, 2001, may be eligible to be interviewed in the United States under Section 245(i), provided they have not already triggered the 3/10 year bars by leaving the US.

Inquiries may be made to the EIIC at their Woodside, Queens’s office at (718) 478-5502 or at their Woodlawn, Bronx office at (718) 324-3039, on the EIIC website at www.eiic.org, Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/EIICNY/ and on Twitter @EIIC1.

The EIIC is a member of the Coalition of Irish Immigration Centers, for further information about Irish centers in the US providing free assistance with DV lottery applications please refer to their website at www.ciic.usa-org

Painted Dreams  

Immigration and Naïve art in the Big Apple 

A solo art exhibition and sale featuring the work of Colombian painter Alejandro Pinzon  

Artifact Projects 155 Suffolk St. New York, NY 10002  

Exhibition: Oct 23 – Nov 2, 2024  

Proceeds to benefit Emerald Isle Immigration Center 

Opening reception: Wed Oct. 23rd & Thru Oct. 24th, 6-8 PM 

Alejandro Pinzón is one of six EIIC Creatives — accomplished artists and recipients of a two-year Creatives Rebuild New York Artist Employment Program grant to the Emerald Isle Immigration Center. 

He principally works in oil, and his pieces reflect his surroundings and everything that inspires his curiosity. 

His solo art exhibition and sale — Painted Dreams — is a wonderful opportunity to see how and where as an EIIC Creatives artist in support of immigration he found inspiration, be it in memories, lived experiences, stories, history, music, customs from his hometown and matters of personal effect. 

The EIIC team is dedicated to serving New Yorkers of diverse cultures from over 130 nations from Woodside, Queens, and Woodlawn, Bronx offices with a full suite of free, vital services. 

EIIC has harnessed the power of creativity to support pioneering artists – and raising awareness of its services among new communities of immigrants in the process. 

Support EIIC donate here: https://eiic.org/support-eiic/

Autumn Has Arrived!

A time when it’s not too hot, yet not too cold.

It is also a good time to ensure NY State of Health has your most up-to-date contact information so you’ll know when it is time to renew your health insurance.

If you and your children are currently enrolled in Medicaid, Child Health Plus or the Essential Plan, it’s important to stay up to date with renewals. NY State of Health will send notices to inform you of when it’s time to renew.

If you need assistance renewing or applying for health insurance:

•          Contact us at: 718-478-5502, ext. 103 or at 914-348-1175

•          Email us at: juan@eiic.org

•          Call NY State of Health at 1-855-355-5777, or log into your account at nystateofhealth.ny.gov.

For more information, visit:

http://on.ny.gov/41iXuJ4 

Diversity Visa Lottery (DV-2025) Results Announced

The results of the last round of the Diversity Visa Lottery (DV-2025) were released in the September Visa Bulletin.

All diversity visa lottery applicants are required to verify the results of their entry online at www.dvprogram.state.gov. They will not be contacted by mail or e-mail. They must enter their application confirmation number from the online application receipt, their Last Name/Family Name, and Year of Birth in order to check the status online. Results will be posted online until September 30, 2025. Applicants should keep their confirmation numbers until September 2025 as more winners may be selected later. All winners of the DV-2025 lottery must be processed for a green card before September 30, 2025. The next registration period for the Diversity Visa Program (DV-2026) is expected to open in October again this year for at least 30 days.

DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY 2025 (DV-2025) RESULTS

Random selection of DV participants was conducted under the terms of section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which makes up to *55,000 permanent resident visas available annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.  Approximately 131,060 prospective applicants (i.e., selectees and their spouses and children) have been registered, can confirm their selection, and may be eligible to make an application for an immigrant visa. Since selection is random and blind to the number of family members who might immigrate with the selectee, and it is likely that some of the selectees will not complete their cases or will be found ineligible for a visa, this larger figure should ensure that all DV-2025 numbers can be used during fiscal year 2025 (FY25: October 1, 2024, until September 30, 2025).

Entrants registered for the DV-2025 program were selected at random from 19,927,656 qualified entries received during the 35-day application period that ran from noon, Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, until noon, Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, November 7, 2023.  The visas will be apportioned among the six geographic regions to ensure a maximum of seven percent are issued to persons chargeable to any single country.  During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience within the past five years.  Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly.  Applicants should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete all required steps.

Results for Ireland for DV-2025 are:

Ireland              29   

N Ireland            6 

Results for Ireland for DV-2024 were:

Ireland              18   

N Ireland            1 

Results for Ireland for DV-2023 were:

Ireland                  13

N Ireland             4

Results for Ireland for DV-2022 were:

Ireland                  24

N Ireland             3

Read more about the Diversity Visa Lottery here.

Keeping Families Together – Parole in Place for long term undocumented spouses and step-children of U.S. citizens / Manteniendo a las Familias Unidas

Espanol abajo

ALERT: On August 26, 2024, the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, in Texas v. Department of Homeland Security, Case Number 24-cv-306 administratively stayed DHS from granting parole in place under Keeping Families Together for 14 days; the District Court might extend the period of this administrative stay.

While the administrative stay is in place, USCIS will:

  • Not grant any pending parole in place requests under Keeping Families Together.
  • Continue to accept filings of Form I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens.

The District Court’s administrative stay order does not affect any applications that were approved before the administrative stay order was issued.

On August 19, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a Federal Register notice implementing Keeping Families Together, a process that allows certain noncitizen spouses and stepchildren of U.S. citizens to apply for parole in place to enable them to apply for lawful permanent resident status without having to be separated from their families by leaving the United States for processing.

What You Need to Know
Forms and Fees

  • Request for Parole in Place. You must file Form I-131F, Application for Parole in Place for Certain Noncitizen Spouses and Stepchildren of U.S. Citizens, online through your myUSCIS account and pay a $580 filing fee. There is no paper form for this process. If you submit a request by mail using a paper application, your request will be rejected (not approved or receipted). A fee waiver is not available for Form I-131F under this process at this time.
  • Employment Authorization. If you are granted parole under this process, and after your approval is issued by USCIS, you may then file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. You cannot file Form I-765 and Form I-131F at the same time. If you file Form I-765 on paper, the filing fee is $520. If you file Form I-765 online, the filing fee is $470. A fee waiver is available for Form I-765.

Eligibility Criteria under Keeping Families Together

Noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens must:

  • Be present in the United States without admission or parole;
  • Have been continuously physically present in the United States since at least June 17, 2014, through the date of filing your request;
  • Have a legally valid marriage to a U.S. citizen on or before June 17, 2024;
  • Have no disqualifying criminal history and otherwise not be deemed to be a threat to public safety, national security, or border security; and
  • Submit biometrics and undergo required background checks and national security and public safety vetting.

Noncitizen stepchildren of U.S. citizens must:

  • Have been under the age of 21 and unmarried on June 17, 2024;
  • Be present in the United States without admission or parole;
  • Have been continuously physically present in the United States since at least June 17, 2024, through the date of filing your request;
  • Have a noncitizen parent who entered into a legally valid marriage with a U.S. citizen on or before June 17, 2024, and before their 18th birthday;
  • Have no disqualifying criminal history and otherwise not deemed to be a threat to public safety, national security, or border security; and
  • Submit biometrics and undergo required background checks and national security and public safety vetting. *

*Consistent with the Sept. 30, 2021, Guidelines for the Enforcement of Civil Immigration Law, a noncitizen who poses a threat to border security will be generally disqualified from receiving parole in place pursuant to this process. However, there is an exception for stepchildren who entered the United States unlawfully after Nov. 1, 2020, and who otherwise meet the criteria for parole in place under this process.

All such requests for parole in place are considered on a case-by-case basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or a significant public benefit, in the exercise of discretion, taking into account the totality of the circumstances of each individual request.

USCIS is committed to program integrity and protection against fraud. Using existing training and practices to identify fraudulent evidence, USCIS will be reviewing submitted evidence supporting the existence of a legally valid marriage. In its consideration of the Form I-131F, USCIS will employ rigorous procedures to detect potential fraud concerns, ensuring that potentially fraudulent marriages will not serve as the basis for a grant of adjustment of status following access to this process. 

Visit our Keeping Families Together page and our frequently asked questions page for more information about the process and eligibility requirements.

Request Process

Step 1
Create a free USCIS online account today.

Learn How to Create a USCIS Online Account. If you already have a USCIS online account, you will need to know the email address and password you used to set up your account. If you need to change your email address associated with an existing account, watch our video tutorial.

If you move, you can easily update your address in your USCIS online account. Reporting your new address within 10 days of moving is required by law and helps ensure that you receive timely communications about your case.

Step 2:
Before you start your request online, gather the evidence you will need to submit with your Form I-131F to show you meet the eligibility criteria for this process. For noncitizen spouses of U.S. citizens, evidence of eligibility could include:

  • Evidence of a legally valid marriage to a U.S. citizen that took place on or before June 17, 2024, such as a marriage certificate;
  • Proof of your identity, which may include:
    • Valid state or country driver’s license or identification; 
    • Birth certificate with photo identification; 
    • Valid passport; or 
    • Any government-issued document bearing your name, date of birth, and photo;
    • Evidence of your spouse’s U.S. citizenship, such as a passport, birth certificate, or Certificate of Naturalization;
    • Arrest records and court dispositions of any arrests, charges, and convictions (if applicable);
    • Documentation to establish your continuous physical presence in the United States since at least June 17, 2014, through the date of filing the application for parole, which may include, but is not limited to:
    • Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax transcripts listing tax information;
    • Rent receipts or utility bills;
    • Deeds, mortgage statements, or rental agreement contracts;
    • Bank, credit card, or loan statements showing regular transactions;
    • Insurance policies;
    • Automobile license receipts, title, or registration;
    • Hospital or medical records;
    • School records (letters, report cards, etc.);
    • Attestations to your physical presence by religious entities, unions, or other civic or community organizations;
    • Official records from a religious entity confirming your participation in a religious ceremony;
    • Birth certificates of children born in the United States;
    • Money order receipts for money sent in or out of the United States;or
    • Any other document that shows that you maintained continuous physical presence in the United States for the requisite time period.

For noncitizen stepchildren of U.S. citizens, evidence of eligibility could include: 

  • Birth certificate of the stepchild listing the name of their noncitizen natural parent;
  • Proof of the child’s identity (as listed above);
  • Proof of the U.S. citizenship status of the stepparent (as listed above);
  • Evidence establishing a legally valid marriage between the noncitizen stepchild’s noncitizen parent and the noncitizen stepchild’s U.S. citizen stepparent took place on or before June 17, 2024, such as a marriage certificate;
  • Evidence establishing the child’s continuous physical presence in the United States since at least June 17, 2024, through the date of filing the application for parole, such as school records (letters, report cards, etc.) and hospital or medical records (see list above); and
  • Arrest records and court dispositions of any arrests, charges, and convictions (if applicable). 

Step 3Beware of Scams

  • Please be cautious and know how to Report Immigration Scams on our webpage.
  • Be aware that in the United States, a notario público is not authorized to provide you with any legal services related to immigration. Only an attorney licensed to practice law in the United States or an accredited representative working for a Department of Justice-recognized organization can give you immigration-related legal advice.  
  • Do not pay to obtain government application forms – all forms are free, and you can access them at gov/forms. This includes Form I-131F, which can only be filed online through the USCIS online account for this process and not by paper form. 
  • Visit our Avoid Scams page for more information on how to help safeguard your information and avoid becoming a victim.

Step 4Don’t miss updates. USCIS will periodically update the frequently asked questions about this process on their website. 

Manteniendo a las Familias Unidas

AVISO: El 26 de agosto de 2024, el Tribunal de Distrito de Estados Unidos para el Distrito del Este de Texas, en el caso Texas v. Department of Homeland Security, número de caso 24-cv-306, suspendió administrativamente que el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional otorgue el permiso de permanencia temporal en el país bajo el programa Manteniendo a las Familias Unidas por 14 días. El Tribunal de Distrito podría extender este periodo de suspensión administrativa.

Mientras la suspensión administrativa esté vigente:

  • No otorgaremos ninguna petición de permiso de permanencia temporal en el país pendiente bajo Manteniendo a las Familias Unidas.
  • Continuaremos aceptando la presentación del Formulario I-131F, Solicitud de Permiso de Permanencia Temporal en el País para Ciertos No Ciudadanos Cónyuges e Hijastros de Ciudadanos Estadounidenses.

La orden de suspensión administrativa del Tribunal de Distrito no afecta a ninguna solicitud que se aprobara antes de que se emitiera la orden de suspensión administrativa. 

El 19 de Agosto, 2024, el Departamento de Seguridad Nacional (DHS) publicó una notificación en el Registro Federal que implementa Manteniendo a las Familias Unidas, un proceso que permite a ciertos no ciudadanos cónyuges e hijastros de ciudadanos estadounidenses solicitar el permiso de permanencia temporal en el país, para que puedan solicitar el estatus de residente permanente legal sin tener que ser separados de sus familias al salir de Estados Unidos para su procesamiento.

Lo que Necesita Saber
Formularios y Tarifas

  • Solicitud de Permiso de Permanencia Temporal en el País. Usted debe presentar el Formulario I-131F, Solicitud de Permiso de Permanencia Temporal en el País para Ciertos No Ciudadanos Cónyuges e Hijastros de Ciudadanos Estadounidenses, en línea a través de su cuenta myUSCIS y pagar una tarifa de presentación de $580. No hay un formulario impreso para este proceso. Si envía una petición por correo de manera impresa, su petición será rechazada (no aprobada ni recibida). No hay exención de pago de tarifas para el Formulario I-131F bajo este proceso en este momento.
  • Autorización de empleo. Si se le concede el permiso de permanencia temporal en el país bajo este proceso, y después de que USCIS emita su aprobación, puede presentar el Formulario I-765, Solicitud de Autorización de Empleo. No puede presentar el Formulario I-765 y el Formulario I-131F al mismo tiempo. Si presenta el Formulario I-765 impreso, la tarifa de presentación es de $520. Si presenta el Formulario I-765 en línea, la tarifa de presentación es de $470. Hay exención de pago de tarifas disponible para el Formulario I-765.

Criterios de Elegibilidad bajo Manteniendo a las Familias Unidas
Los no ciudadanos cónyuges de ciudadanos estadounidenses deben:

  • Estar presentes en Estados Unidos sin haber sido admitidos ni haber recibido un permiso de permanencia temporal;
  • Haber estado físicamente presentes de manera continua en Estados Unidos desde al menos el 17 de junio de 2014 hasta la fecha de presentación de su petición;
  • Haber estado en un matrimonio legalmente válido con un ciudadano estadounidense desde en o antes del 17 de junio de 2024;
  • No tener antecedentes penales que lo descualifiquen y que no se le considere una amenaza para la seguridad pública, la seguridad nacional o la seguridad fronteriza; y
  • Presentar datos biométricos y someterse a las verificaciones de antecedentes requeridas y a investigaciones de seguridad nacional y seguridad pública.

Los no ciudadanos hijastros de ciudadanos estadounidenses deben:

  • Haber sido menores de 21 años y solteros el 17 de junio de 2024;
  • Estar presentes en Estados Unidos sin haber sido admitidos ni haber recibido permiso de permanencia temporal;
  • Haber estado físicamente presentes de manera continua en Estados Unidos desde al menos el 17 de junio de 2024 hasta la fecha de presentación de la petición;
  • Tener un padre no ciudadano que contrajo un matrimonio legalmente válido con un ciudadano estadounidense el 17 de junio de 2024 o antes y antes de que el hijastro cumpliera 18 años;
  • No tener antecedentes penales que lo descualifiquen y que no se le considere una amenaza para la seguridad pública, la seguridad nacional o la seguridad fronteriza; y
  • Presentar datos biométricos y someterse a las verificaciones de antecedentes requeridas y a investigaciones de seguridad nacional y seguridad pública.

*De acuerdo con las guías del 30 de septiembre de 2021 para la Aplicación de la Ley de Inmigración Civil, un no ciudadano que represente una amenaza para la seguridad fronteriza generalmente será descualificado para recibir el permiso de permanencia temporal en el país de conformidad con este proceso. Sin embargo, existe una excepción para los hijastros que ingresaron ilegalmente a Estados Unidos después del 1 de noviembre de 2020 y que cumplen con los criterios para el permiso de permanencia en el país bajo este proceso.  

Todas estas peticiones de permiso de permanencia temporal en el país se examinan caso por caso por razones humanitarias urgentes o por un beneficio público significativo, en el ejercicio de la discreción, teniendo en cuenta la totalidad de las circunstancias de cada solicitud individual.

USCIS está comprometido con la integridad del programa y la protección contra el fraude. Utilizando la capacitación y las prácticas existentes para identificar evidencia fraudulenta, USCIS revisará la evidencia presentada que respalda la existencia de un matrimonio legalmente válido. En su consideración del Formulario I-131F, USCIS empleará procedimientos rigurosos para detectar posibles situaciones de fraude, asegurando que los matrimonios que podrían ser fraudulentos no sirvan como base para que se conceda un ajuste de estatus como resultado de haber tenido acceso a este proceso. 

Visite nuestra página Manteniendo a las Familias Unidas y nuestra página de preguntas frecuentes para obtener más información sobre el proceso y los requisitos de elegibilidad.

Proceso de Solicitud
Paso 1
Cree una cuenta de USCIS en línea hoy.  
Aprenda cómo crear una cuenta de USCIS en línea. Si ya tiene una cuenta de USCIS en línea, necesitará saber la dirección de correo electrónico y la contraseña que utilizó para configurar su cuenta. Si necesita cambiar su dirección de correo electrónico asociada con una cuenta existente, vea nuestro tutorial en video.

Si muda, puede actualizar fácilmente su dirección en su cuenta de USCIS en línea. La ley exige informar su nueva dirección dentro de los 10 días posteriores a la mudanza, lo que ayuda a garantizar que reciba comunicaciones oportunas sobre su caso.

Paso 2Reúna la documentación requerida.
Antes de comenzar su petición en línea, reúna la evidencia que deberá presentar con su Formulario I-131F para demostrar que cumple con los criterios de elegibilidad para este proceso. Para los no ciudadanos que son cónyuges de ciudadanos estadounidenses, la evidencia de elegibilidad podría incluir:

  • Evidencia de un matrimonio legalmente válido con un ciudadano estadounidense que tuvo lugar el 17 de junio de 2024 o antes, como un certificado de matrimonio;
  • Prueba de su identidad, que puede incluir:
  • Licencia de conducir o identificación válida del estado o país;
  • Certificado de nacimiento con identificación con foto;
  • Pasaporte válido; o
  • Cualquier documento emitido por el gobierno que lleve su nombre, fecha de nacimiento y foto;
  • Evidencia de la ciudadanía estadounidense de su cónyuge, como un pasaporte, certificado de nacimiento o certificado de naturalización;
  • Registros de arrestos y disposiciones judiciales de cualquier arresto, cargo y condena (si corresponde);
  • Documentación para demostrar su presencia física continua en Estados Unidos desde al menos el 17 de junio de 2014 hasta la fecha de presentación de la solicitud de permiso de permanencia temporal, que puede incluir, entre otros:
    • Copias de declaraciones de impuestos del Servicio de Impuestos Internos (IRS) que muestren información fiscal;
    • Recibos de alquiler o facturas de servicios públicos;
    • Escrituras, declaraciones de hipotecas o contratos de alquiler;
    • Estados de cuenta bancarios, de tarjetas de crédito o de préstamos que muestren transacciones regulares;
    • Pólizas de seguro;
    • Recibos, título o registro de licencia de automóvil;
    • Registros hospitalarios o médicos;
    • Registros escolares (cartas, informes de calificaciones, etcétera);
    • Declaraciones de su presencia física por parte de entidades religiosas, sindicatos u otras organizaciones cívicas o comunitarias;
    • Registros oficiales de una entidad religiosa que confirmen su participación en una ceremonia religiosa;
    • Certificados de nacimiento de niños nacidos en Estados Unidos;
    • Recibos de giros postales de dinero enviado dentro o fuera de Estados Unidos; o
    • Cualquier otro documento que demuestre que mantuvo una presencia física continua en Estados Unidos durante el período de tiempo requerido.

Para los no ciudadanos que son hijastros de ciudadanos estadounidenses, la evidencia de elegibilidad podría incluir:

  • Certificado de nacimiento del hijastro que incluya el nombre de su padre o madre biológico no ciudadano;
  • Prueba de la identidad del menor (como se indica anteriormente);
  • Prueba del estatus de ciudadanía estadounidense del padrastro o madrastra (como se indica anteriormente);
  • Evidencia que demuestre un matrimonio legalmente válido entre el padre o madre no ciudadano del hijastro no ciudadano y el padrastro o madrastra ciudadano estadounidense del hijastro no ciudadano tuvo lugar el 17 de junio de 2024 o antes, como un certificado de matrimonio;
  • Evidencia que demuestre la presencia física continua del menor en Estados Unidos desde al menos el 17 de junio de 2024 hasta la fecha de presentación de la solicitud de permiso de permanencia temporal en el país, como registros escolares (cartas, informes de calificaciones, etcétera) y registros hospitalarios o médicos (consulte la lista anterior); y
  • Registros de arrestos y disposiciones judiciales de arrestos, cargos y condenas (si corresponde).

Paso 3Protéjase de las estafas.

  • Por favor, esté atento y aprenda cómo denunciar estafas de inmigración en nuestra página web.
  • Tenga en cuenta que, en Estados Unidos un notario público no está autorizado para brindarle ningún servicio legal relacionado con la inmigración. Solo un abogado con licencia para ejercer la abogacía en Estados Unidos o un representante acreditado que trabaje para una organización reconocida por el Departamento de Justicia puede brindarle asesoramiento legal relacionado con inmigración.   
  • No pague para obtener los formularios de solicitud del gobierno: todos los formularios son gratuitos y puede acceder a ellos en gov/es/formularios. Esto incluye el Formulario I-131F, que solo se puede presentar en línea a través de la cuenta en línea de USCIS para este proceso y no de manera impresa.  
  • Visite nuestra página Evite Estafas para obtener más información sobre cómo ayudar a proteger su información y evitar convertirse en una víctima.

Paso 4No se pierda las actualizaciones. Actualizaremos periódicamente las preguntas y respuestas frecuentes sobre este proceso en nuestro sitio web.