Immigration is an Important Issue

Immigration is very scary and complicated. Like many people, I am confused and frustrated by the many forms and interviews. It is a very long and tiring process. It can take a lot of money and a lot of time. I know what it is like to spend days sitting in the embassy and then months waiting for government approvals.

If you can afford one, there are many good lawyers and immigration services available to help. But these cost a lot of money and do not make things go any faster with the government. They are only there to help you get the information and the forms that you need. This can help you to avoid making mistakes and having to do it all over again. There are also many good sites on the internet like Florida Court Forms that provide the forms you need to do many things yourself.

The best advice usually comes from people who have been through the same process that you are going through. They have learned (sometimes the hard way) exactly what has to
be done and how to do it.

An important part of President Obama’s proposal for immigration reform is the requirement to pay back taxes. You can still file a federal tax return even if you do not have a social security number. The way to do that is to get an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN). An ITIN is for federal tax reporting only. It does not authorize work in the U.S. or make you eligible for Social Security benefits or the Earned Income Tax Credit. It is not valid for identification outside the tax system. The I.R.S. issues ITIN's only to help people comply with the U.S. tax laws.

How do you apply for one? Basically you file the latest version of Form W-7 along with your tax return. With the form, you will need to include copies of some documents to establish your identity, such as your passport, national identification card, driver’s license, that sort of thing. There are 13 acceptable documents that you can use. You send this to the I.R.S. Service Center in Austin, Texas. It may take a month or two to receive the number. For more information, talk to your accountant or visit the I.R.S. web site.

When it comes to immigration, one of the most important issues is usually financial sponsorship. Under U.S. law, every person who immigrates based on a relative petition must have a financial sponsor. If you choose to sponsor your relative by filing a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, then you must agree to be a financial sponsor and file an affidavit of support. An affidavit of support helps ensure that new arrivals will not need to rely on public benefits like Food Stamps and Medicaid.

Anyone applying to be a permanent resident through a family member must have a financial sponsor. A sponsor is also required for a family member coming to work for a relative or for any company in which the relative owns 5 percent or more. If you file the petition to sponsor someone but do not submit the affidavit of support, your relative will not be given permission to come.

This is a very serious thing. If you do not provide support after the person is
in the U.S. and they receive public benefits, the government can take legal action against you (the sponsor) to recover the money.

How long does this responsibility last? The affidavit of support is enforceable against the sponsor until the person they sponsored either becomes a U.S. citizen, reports 40 quarters of work in the United States (usually 10 years), leaves the United States, or dies.

People who immigrate to the United States can become citizens through a process called naturalization. This involves submitting Form N-400 to the government and passing some basic tests. The questions for the civics test have changed this year. If you had submitted an application before October 1, 2008 and have an interview before October 1, 2009, then you can choose to take the old test or the new one. If you send an application this year or have your interview after October 1, then you will take the new test. Click here to see questions from the new test.

Do not live in fear. Take your time and do things right. In the long run, you will be glad that you did.