Immigrating to the United States of America is a dream for many Persians. It’s often seen as the gateway to a more secure and prosperous life. However, the immigration process is long-drawn, complicated, and generally not possible without the help of a competent Persian immigration lawyer.
The Islamic Revolution and subsequent political upheavals in Iran have strained the political relationship between the United States and Iran. As a result, Persians may find it challenging to pass all the checks and requirements necessary for immigrating to the United States. If you find yourself in a similar spot, seeking help from a Persian immigration lawyer is your best bet.
History of Persian immigration to the United States
The history of Persian immigration to the United States dates back to the early 1900s. During the first half of the 20th century, most Persian immigrants to the US were students and working professionals. The number of Persian immigrants wasn’t substantial, and the political relationship between the two countries was stable.
More people started to immigrate to the United States when the Persian dynasty collapsed, and Iran became an Islamic Republic in 1979. After this, the Iran-Iraq war broke out, and more people escaped to safer places. These two events started the boom of Persian immigration to the United States. Persians who were already in the US stayed back, and more people started to come to the United States in search of stability and prosperity.
At present, around 1.5 million Persians live in the United States. The Persian community is one of the biggest diasporic communities in the United States.
Challenges of Persian immigrants
It was relatively much easier for Persians to immigrate to the United States in the past. Thousands of Persians were granted asylum and taken into the country as peace seekers. The situation today isn’t as straightforward with a deteriorated political relationship between the two countries making the immigration process more complex.
Today you need the help of an experienced Persian immigration lawyer to facilitate the immigration process. Doing it all by yourself is extremely difficult, if not impossible. Persians who want to immigrate to the United States have the following options to consider:
- Family-based immigration
- Fiancรฉ visa
- Diversity visa
- Returning resident
Don’t let the jargon scare you. Let’s find out more about each of these ways for Persians to immigrate to the United States:
Family-based immigration
If you have an immediate family member living in the United States, an experienced Persian immigration attorney can help you immigrate to the United States quickly and safely. It’s easier for Persian females than for Persian males to move to the United States through family ties. At the same time, it’s necessary to consult a Persian immigration lawyer for family-based immigration to the United States.
Fiancรฉ visa
Immigrating to the United States can be quite easy if your fiancรฉ is a US citizen. The United States issues K-1 visas for anyone about to be married to a US citizen. K-1 visa holders must marry their fiancรฉ within 90 days of receiving the K-1 visa. For the foreign national to become a permanent resident, they must apply for an Adjustment of Status petition after marriage.
Diversity visa
The Immigration Act of 1990 marks the beginning of the diversity visa program. Under this scheme, around 55,000 immigrant visas are handed out every year via a lottery system. This system aims to promote diversity among immigrants and give everyone a fair chance at immigrating to the United States.
Returning resident
Returning resident visas apply to those Persians who had previously stayed in the United States but have spent a year or more outside the US. Such individuals are granted returning resident visas to be considered US citizens once again.
Immigrant visa vs. non-immigrant visa
An immigrant visa grants you citizenship to a country, while a non-immigrant visa simply allows you to visit the country. A tourist visa is an example of a non-immigrant visa.
If you want to immigrate to the United States from Persia, you will need an immigrant visa. However, if you want to visit your family or tour the US, a non-immigrant visa will suffice.
Getting a non-immigrant visa is much easier than getting an immigrant visa. You may not even need the help of an immigration lawyer for the former. But things are very different when it comes to an immigrant visa. Everything from the paperwork to the legal processes for an immigrant visa requires the expert assistance of an immigration lawyer.
Your chances of getting an immigrant visa increase significantly when you work with a Persian immigration attorney who understands your problems and specific challenges.
LEAVE YOUR IMMIGRATION WORRIES IN OUR HANDS
Why do you need a Persian immigration lawyer?
Persians who want to immigrate to the United States face several key challenges. Most of these challenges are legal, but some are also sociocultural. The best and easiest way to overcome these challenges for a Persian is to work with a Persian immigration attorney. Since a Persian attorney would have faced many of these challenges themselves, they are best equipped to provide solutions to specific Persian immigration problems.
Here are some of the other ways in which a Persian immigration lawyer will be able to help you:
Paperwork: Immigrating to a country involves extensive and complicated paperwork. Filing these documents correctly is extremely difficult for anyone who isn’t a legal expert. This is one of the major reasons you need an experienced immigration lawyer to assist you through the process.
Experience: An immigrant visa can be denied for several reasons. Experienced lawyers know the possible reasons and can devise strategies to work around them. However, you might give up on your attempts without an attorney after a few setbacks.
Support: Getting an immigrant visa is a long process, and people can start losing hope. A competent immigration lawyer will keep you encouraged and motivated without giving you false hopes about immigrating to the United States.
These are the main reasons you need an immigration lawyer to help you through the immigration process.
Contact Us To Speak With A San Jose Persian Immigration Lawyer Today!
California has one of the biggest Persian communities in the US, and it’s the natural destination of choice for many Persian immigrants. If you also want to move to California or adjacent places, get in touch with a Persian immigration lawyer in San Jose at Getachew & Ansari Immigration Attorneys, P.C..