Immigration to the United States is a common, world-wide desire.  Every year, thousands upon thousands of people from all over the world attempt to legally immigrate to America.  The reasons vary:  some come for freedom from tyranny and opression, others for economic opportunity.  Some come for political and personal freedom, and others to reunite with family members.

An "immigrant" is someone who comes to the United States who intends to live permanently in the United States.  A so-called "non-immigrant" is someone who comes to the United States only for a temporary period of time, for a specific purpose.  An "immigrant" is known under our immigration laws as a "lawful permanent resident", and is commonly known as a "green card holder".  A "non-immigrant" holds a temporary visa only, and must leave the United States upon the expiration of the non-immigrant visa.  Examples of non-immigrant visas are student, visitor for business or pleasure, and specialized workers of various types.

A person may be or become eligible to immigrate to the United States by virtue of a qualifying family relationship, such as a spouse, parent, child or sibling, or by virtue of a qualifying employment relationship.  Numerical caps on the number of many visa types have been incorporated into United States law, so that the number of immigrant visas are limited.    Because of these numerical caps, it is often necessary to wait significant periods of time before an immigrant visa is available.  The length of the wait depends very much on the relationship between the immigrant and sponsor, and on the country of the immigrant's citizenship.

If you are interested in immigrating to the United States, you don't have to pursue it on your own.  Christiansen Law Firm has assisted hundreds and hundreds of immigrants become permanent residents in the United States.  The attorneys of Christiansen Law Firm have extensive experience and have handled numerous complex immigration cases.  For additional information on how U.S. immigration laws can help you become a permanent resident, contact the offices of Christiansen Law Firm in Houston or San Antonio for a free consultation.