Immigration is the act of settling or moving to another country.  A person may choose to immigrate to another country to live, or for work opportunities, on a permanent or temporary basis.  When a person decides to immigrate to the United States, he/she must adhere to certain immigration laws and statutes.  If a person does not follow U.S. immigration laws, he/she will be classified as an illegal immigrant. 

Before a person can immigrate to the U.S., he/she must gain a legal immigration status.  The procedure for gaining legal status will depend upon the person’s reason for immigrating, such as education, work, or family. 

Employment Immigration
If a person wishes to immigrate into the U.S. because of an employment opportunity, he/she must be eligible.  To be eligible, the person must be classified under 1 of the 5 categories of employment-based immigration.  If the person is eligible, his/her employer must fill out and submit a labor certification request, which must be approved by the Department of Labor.  The employer must also file an immigrant petition visa and the visa must be approved by the Government.  Generally, immigration for employment purposes is temporary.   

Family Immigration
If a person wishes to immigrate into the U.S. because they have a relative who is a U.S. citizen, he/she must have immigration eligibility.  Some family members are permitted to immigrate, while others may not be allowed to.  Usually, spouses and children are considered eligible, where as other types of relatives may not be.  If the person is considered eligible, the relative that is the U.S. citizen will be considered the person’s “sponsor”, and will have to file a Petition for Alien Relative.  The Petition must be approved by the Government, and proof of the family relationship must be provided along with the petition.     

Las Vegas Immigration & Naturalization Attorney
If you are considering immigration, or if you have questions related to immigration, contact the Las Vegas Law Offices of Robert West.  At the Law Offices of Robert West, we have handled various immigration matters for clients in Las Vegas and surrounding areas.  The Law Offices of Robert West provides a wide array of immigration services for individuals and businesses.   

Contact our Las Vegas Law Office about your Immigration matter!