Ever since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, immigration to the United States seems to have gotten especially difficult with higher application fees, increased scrutiny and longer processing times.

Many people try to handle immigration issues on their own without a lawyer. The problem is that it’s often a long time before you realize you made a mistake on your application and the results can be harsh. Deportation, denial of entry into the U.S., denial of citizenship and missed deadlines can all be disastrous to your immigration plans.

Our experienced lawyers can help you by petitioning for foreign relatives, getting work permits, filing for a green card and even applying for U.S. citizenship.

Some things to know about U.S. Immigration in Virginia are:

• Nothing is quick or easy.  Don’t pay someone you meet on the street to get you a green card in five days.  If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
• Avoid the legal advice of non-lawyer family and friends.  Just because you heard about a friend of a friend of your cousin’s neighbor got his green card two weeks after he applied doesn’t mean the same thing will happen to you.
• Immigration cases start out being handled by a special immigration court.  So, don’t try to handle your immigration case at the Fairfax Traffic Court or Loudoun Circuit Court.