The skilled Boston immigration lawyers at Maiona Ward provide a wide variety of legal services to employers, employees, individuals and families in the Boston region and beyond. Immigration issues are complicated and can have a severe impact if not handled with skill and thoughtfulness. Failing to be vigilant about one’s immigration status can have grave long-term consequences for everyone involved. Our experience, knowledge, skill, and determination will give you the solid legal representation you need to protect your future in the United States.
Our attorneys are dedicated to producing the best possible results for our clients in an efficient and effective manner. With more than 30 years of experience between the partners of our firm, you can rely on us to provide professional, honest and cost-effective services. Our Boston immigration lawyers represent large and small corporations, employees, human resources departments and individuals who need to navigate this complex area of the law in order to work, live or travel to the United States.
Our firm is well versed in all areas of immigration law, including:
There are two broad categories of U.S. visas: immigrant visas and nonimmigrant visas. Nonimmigrant visas are issued to foreign nationals who enter the U.S. for a temporary period of time for a specific purpose, such as tourism, business, work, or study. The process for obtaining the various types of nonimmigrant visas differs. In many cases, an individual will apply either directly to a U.S. consulate or embassy abroad or prior to traveling to the U.S. with US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). For instance, a foreign national applying for work in a specialty occupation in the United States may need an H-1B non-immigrant visa approved by USCIS prior to appearing for visa stamping at the US Consulate abroad. An immigrant visa refers to a visa issued to a foreign citizen who intends to reside and work in the U.S. permanently. Most often, an individual’s employer or family member will file an application with USCIS. In some circumstances, by contrast, an applicant can petition on his or her own behalf. For instance, the National Interest Waiver (NIW) permits an individual to petition on his or her own behalf as long as the individual is seeking employment in an area of substantial intrinsic merit, the employment is national in scope and that the national interest would be adversely affected if a labor certification were required.
The road to becoming a U.S. citizen can be long and cumbersome for many immigrants. There are many requirements for naturalization, including permanent residency, continuous residency in the U.S., physical presence in the U.S., the ability to read, write and speak English (with some exceptions), basic knowledge of U.S. history and civics, good moral character, and more.
USCIS rigorously investigates all applications for immigration benefits to insure that immigration fraud is not being committed or that the laws of the United States are not being circumvented to improperly obtain a benefit. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cannot typically deport an individual unless he or she is first given an opportunity to appear before an immigration judge to present his or her case in what is commonly known as a removal proceeding. DHS may try to deport an individual for a number of reasons, such as if he or she entered the U.S. legally with a valid visa but overstayed once the visa expired, or if he or she entered the U.S. without a visa and without being inspected by an immigration officer. Problems also may arise when a non-citizen has a green card but has been convicted or a crime, or when his or her application for permanent residence has been denied. If you are facing deportation, you have the right to be represented by an immigration lawyer of your choosing but you will not be appointed a lawyer.
At Maiona Ward, our Boston immigration attorneys will work diligently to resolve your legal issues. We will put our years of experience and knowledge to work for you. Our attorneys are all members of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and our partners have held various offices with AILA nationally and locally. In addition to helping Boston residents, we also proudly represent people in Cambridge, Waltham, and Worcester as well as Rhode Island cities like Providence. We understand that immigration issues can affect every aspect of your life, so we take the time and care to assess each case diligently. Our vast experience of US immigration law and procedure will be at your disposal. We will inform you of all your legal rights and options so you understand the process at every step of the journey. We encourage all our clients to voice their concerns and ask any questions as they come up. To learn more, call us at (617) 695-2220 or contact us online.
