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U.S. Immigration

The staff at EIIC will support you through every step of your immigration petition, naturalization application, or other benefit and we will address any challenges as they arise.  Rules and regulations are constantly changing at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and you should generally seek legal advice when filing for an immigration benefit.  Our practitioners stay up-to-date on the latest immigration developments and we can help you with the list of case types below.  Please note that we do not make appearances in immigration court proceedings and we do not take cases that have already been started by a different attorney or a different organization.  

To make an appointment, please call (718) 478-5502, ext. 213 for English and ext. 215 for Spanish.  Appointments will be scheduled as availability of the counselor is confirmed.  

Naturalization: 

  • Naturalization is the process by which a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) becomes a U.S. citizen. In order to naturalize, a lawful permanent resident has to meet certain requirements such as: continuous residence in the United States for a period of five years or three years while married to a US citizen, good moral character for the requisite time period, physical presence in the US for at least half of the same 5 year or 3 year period, an understanding of US history and civics, and last but not least they must be able to speak, read, and write basic English.  Exemptions exist for the english language requirement for people who meet certain age and residency requirements (the minimum residency requirement is 15 years with a permanent resident card and 55 years of age).  
  • U.S. citizens are able to vote, get a U.S. passport, receive certain public benefits, and take part in all of the civic duties and responsibilities of American citizens 
  • It is important to speak to an attorney before applying to make sure that you do not have any significant crimes, extended trips outside of the U.S., or other circumstances which could make you ineligible or possibly deportable.
  • Please visit the Citizenship guide (update the form versions, dates, timeframes, etc) https://www.eiic.us/guide
  • Contact info – To make an appointment, please call (718) 478-5502 and mark extension 213 for English or 215 for Spanish.  If no one answers, please leave a message and we will call you back.  

Green Card Renewal (I-90)  

  • Renew your permanent residence at Emerald Isle!  You can file to renew your green card up to six months before the expiration date on the card.  The same form is used to replace a lost or stolen green card.  
  • If you have a two-year green card that you received based on marriage, then you need to file the I-751 below, not the I-90.  
  • Contact info – To make an appointment, please call (718) 478-5502 and mark extension 213 for English or 215 for Spanish.  If no one answers, please leave a message and we will call you back.  

Removal of the Condition on Residency (I-751)

  • Apply to remove the condition on residency at Emerald Isle.  Applicants with a two-year green card obtained by marriage to a US citizen or permanent resident can apply to remove the condition on their green card. You will need to provide documentation of your continued residence with your spouse to demonstrate the existence of a bona fide marriage.  Victims of domestic violence/domestic abuse can also file without their spouse.  
  • Contact info – To make an appointment, please call (718) 478-5502 and mark extension 213 for English or 215 for Spanish.  If no one answers, please leave a message and we will call you back.  

DACA Initial Applications and Renewals 

  • ONLY DACA RENEWALS ARE CURRENTLY BEING ACCEPTED AND PROCESSED.
  • See the following page for a complete list of DACA requirements; https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/consideration-of-deferred-action-for-childhood-arrivals-daca
  • Contact info – To make an appointment, please call (718) 478-5502 and mark extension 213 for English or 215 for Spanish.  If no one answers, please leave a message and we will call you back.  

Certificate of Citizenship (N-600)

  • If you acquired citizenship through a parent inside the U.S. and do not yet have proof of your status as a US citizen, you may want to apply for a Certificate of Citizenship.  However, before you file an N-600, you may want to consider applying for a U.S. Passport instead.  The U.S. Passport counts as proof of legal status as a citizen for many purposes, including international travel, eligibility for public benefits, opening a bank account, and many others.  The passport costs $115-145  and you can apply by appointment at your local USPS post office.  The filing fee for a certificate of citizenship is $1170.    
  • Contact info – To make an appointment, please call (718) 478-5502 and mark extension 213 for English or 215 for Spanish.  If no one answers, please leave a message and we will call you back. 

Family-Based Petition (I-130/I-130A)  

  • Petition for your family member at Emerald Isle!  The following types of family relationships qualify to file an I-130 petition based on an existing family relationship:
  • Spouse of a US citizen
  • Minor child (under 21) of a US citizen
  • Parent of a US citizen
  • Spouse of a permanent resident
  • Minor child (under 21) of a permanent resident
  • Unmarried adult son or daughter of a permanent resident 
  • Unmarried adult son or daughter of a US citizen
  • Married son or daughter of a US citizen
  • Brother or sister of a US citizen
  • Wait times can be very long for some types of petitions.  For example, a petition for a married adult son or daughter of a US citizen from Mexico would take approximately 24 years.  There is no wait for a petition for the spouse, minor child, or parent of a US citizen beyond the processing time of 10-12 months.  All of the other categories of petitions fall somewhere in between those two time frames.  The wait is currently very short for spouses and minor children of permanent residents, but this could change.  You can find the approximate wait times by checking the Visa Bulletin for the current month at: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
  • Contact info – To make an appointment, please call (718) 478-5502 and mark extension 213 for English or 215 for Spanish.  If no one answers, please leave a message and we will call you back.  

Temporary Protected Status (TPS)

  • Nationals from a list of designated countries who are physically present in the U.S. may be eligible for Temporary Protected Status, a temporary status that protects them from deportation.  TPS recipients may also request employment authorization (EAD) and might be eligible for some public benefits.  
  • Applicants for temporary protected status must apply during a specific registration period and must re-register every two years, so long as their country is still eligible for TPS.  
  • To see which countries have been designated for TPS, please check the USCIS website: https://www.uscis.gov/humanitarian/temporary-protected-status
  • Contact info – To make an appointment, please call (718) 478-5502 and mark extension 213 for English or 215 for Spanish.  If no one answers, please leave a message and we will call you back.  

Travel Document/advance parole (I-131) 

  • Are you in the United States and need to travel outside of the country while waiting for your green card application or DACA to be approved?  Or, do you plan to travel and stay outside the country for more than one year but less than two years?  Advance parole gives you legal permission to travel outside of the U.S. before you receive your green card or your DACA.  A reentry permit grants a legal permanent resident the ability to stay outside of the United States for up to two years without abandoning their legal residence.  
  • Please note that all travelers will be subject to the admissibility requirements when they return to the U.S..  If you have a criminal record you need to speak to an immigration attorney before applying for a travel document or advance parole.  Having a reentry permit or advance parole does not guarantee your right to reenter the United States.  
  • Contact info – To make an appointment, please call (718) 478-5502 and mark extension 213 for English or 215 for Spanish.  If no one answers, please leave a message and we will call you back.  

Fee Waivers (I-912)

  • Fee waivers are available for certain applications and benefits such as the citizenship application and the green card renewal.  In order to qualify for a fee waiver, you will need to present a valid proof of current public health insurance coverage or other income-based public benefits programs, or tax return transcripts with an income that is below 125% of the federal poverty limit for the most recent year.  Other restrictions apply and the fee waiver approval is ultimately subject to USCIS.   
  • Contact info – To make an appointment, please call (718) 478-5502 and mark extension 213 for English or 215 for Spanish.  If no one answers, please leave a message and we will call you back.