Maison Law Immigration Lawyers can help you through the process of moving to California from Mexico. There’s a variety of options that can give you the opportunity to either establish permanent residency here in California, or join your relatives with a visa. Regardless, our team will be there to support you throughout the process. Contact us today to set up an initial consultation to talk about your options.
Do You Need an Immigration Lawyer?
As with any legal process, you don’t technically need a lawyer to go through the visa process. That said, especially given that the application process can get complex, the more help you have, the better chance you have at success.
Our team of experienced California immigration lawyers can help you through any immigration situation, and will take a personalized approach to your case and your goals. Here’s how we can help:
- Provide personalized advice on visa options
- Develop a strategy to avoid common pitfalls
- Help gather and organize necessary documents
- Make sure all forms are correctly filled out
- Compile strong supporting evidence
- Navigate complex and changing U.S. immigration laws
- Address legal issues during the process
- Act as intermediaries with U.S. immigration authorities
- Represent you in legal proceedings and interviews
- Manage cases with criminal records, past denials, or complicated family ties
- File waivers and appeals for denied applications
- Make sure all deadlines are met to prevent delays
- Monitor your application’s progress
- Reduce stress by handling legal aspects of the process
- maintain compliance with all legal requirements
- Stay current with changes in immigration laws
- Access to expert witnesses, translators, and additional legal support
- Assist with employer petitions and compliance (employment visas)
- Help prove family relationships and prepare support affidavits (family visas)
- Aid with school requirements and work authorizations (student visas)
How Can You Get a Visa to Move to California?
Before getting into the various visa options at your disposal, it can be helpful to look at the overall process to see what best fits your needs. Obviously, a place like California has a number of different opportunities for you and others looking to come to the United States.
But generally, there’s an overall process that you’ll have to go through first. This process can differ from visa to visa, but the application process generally includes the following steps:
- Eligibility – Determining your eligibility and best visa that meets your particular needs
- Prepare your documentation -Gather necessary documents such as a passport, application forms, photographs, and supporting documents (employment offer, proof of your family relationship, bank statements, or anything else that would show that you meet the criteria.)
- File your petition – For many visa types, your employer or family member in the U.S. must file a petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). You’ll also need to pay the required visa application fees.
- Schedule an interview – Attend a visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country. For some visas, you’ll need to provide fingerprints and other biometrics.
- Wait for processing – Visa processing times vary, so be prepared for potential delays.
- Receive your visa – If approved, your visa will be placed in your passport.
Again, this process varies from visa to visa, but usually includes these steps. It’s important to remain patient, since the process can be time-consuming. However, in order to be even better prepared, you need to look at the different types of visas you can get.
What Are the Different Types of Visas You Can Get to Move to California From Mexico?
Because moving to the United States is so competitive, our country has numerous options for visitors and those who want to become full citizens. Generally speaking, though, the most common way that people come to California is through the visa program. And like other citizenship paths, there’s a lot of visa options you can choose from as you attempt to come here from your home in Mexico. HEre’s a look at some of the different types of visas you can get:
- Employment-based visas – If you plan to move to California for work, you’ll need an employment-based visa. Common types include the:
- H-1B Visa for skilled workers in specialty occupations, which requires sponsorship from a U.S. employer.
- L-1 Visa for intra-company transferees in managerial positions or with specialized knowledge, which necessitates an existing relationship with a company having offices in both the U.S. and abroad.
- E-2 Visa for investors and entrepreneurs from countries who invest substantial capital in a U.S. business.
- O-1 Visa for those with “extraordinary abilities” in sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics.
- Family visas – For those with close relatives already living in California, you can apply for a family visa. Usually, these involve:
- IR Visas are for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, including spouses, children, and parents.
- F Visas cover family preference categories for other family members, including siblings and adult children of U.S. citizens and green card holders.
- Educational-based visas – California has some of the leading colleges and universities in the world, and if you’re a student, you generally have two visa options:
- F-1 visas for students attending a U.S. college, university, or other accredited academic institutions.
- M-1 visas for vocational or technical training programs.
Given these options, it seemingly covers anything you or another family member would need to move to California from Mexico. But as with any decision, there’s also more practical reasons.
Why Would You Need to Move to California From Mexico?
There’s no denying that the visa process is time-consuming and difficult, especially if you’re currently in Mexico looking to move to California. This makes the procedural part of the process tough, but it’s important to remember why you’re looking to move:
- Work opportunities
- Educational opportunities
- Reuniting with family members
- Better living conditions
- More extensive health care and treatment options if you’re ill
- Personal growth
- Cultural changes
With the immigration process, there’s a number of different hurdles to jump through. However, with the right guidance and support, it can make a difficult process much easier. At Maison Immigration, we take pride in our ability to make things easier for our clients.
Contact Maison Immigration Today
When you’re looking to move to California from Mexico, you need to make sure you have all the pieces in place. This not only applies to your personal life, but also to the visa process. At Maison Law Immigration Lawyers, we can make sure the legal side of things is taken care of. To get the moving process started, contact us today to schedule an initial consultation.
