You have indicated that you are a Widow or Widower of a United States Citizen. This means we can file a Visa Petition on your behalf to obtain your Permanent Residence. You are eligible to obtain your Permanent Residence as a Widow or Widower of a United States Citizen if:

• You lived with your Spouse in a valid marriage for two years immediately proceeding his/her death, or, 
• You were living together in a valid marriage with your Spouse for less two years proceeding his/her death and it would be a hardship to you and your family if you were to leave the United States.

Your Marriage

Immigration law considers a marriage valid as long as it was not entered into for the sole purpose of obtaining Permanent Residence in the United States. It is standard practice for the United States Immigration Service to require substantial and overwhelming documentation to prove that a marriage was not entered into for "business or convenience". We will guide you through this step and ensure that you submit all required and necessary documentation to prove that your marriage was "valid".

The United States Immigration Service will also require us to prove you and your deceased Spouse were legally eligible to be married in the place where the marriage occurred. That means:

• you and your Spouse had been Divorced or Widowed from all prior husbands/wives

- And -
• your marriage was legally recognized by the government where the marriage was performed

Note: Common law marriages, religious marriages, and marriages performed without a license from a civil government authority are not recognized for Immigration purposes.

Visa Processing

Since there is no waiting time for a Green Card because you are a non-quota applicant, upon approval of your Visa Petition, you should be immediately scheduled for a Visa appointment at the nearest U.S. Embassy.

The required documentation that you will provide to the United States Embassy must show that you are not "excludable" from the United States and that you have entered into a valid marriage with your Spouse. At US Visa Associates we review all our clients' documentation before their Visa appointment.

The United States reserves the right to exclude (deny an Immigrant Visa) an individual who:

1. is a health hazard, is a drug user/addict, is not vaccinated against preventable diseases or has certain past or current physical/mental disorders; 
2. has committed prior criminal drug offenses, crimes of moral turpitude where the period of possible confinement was more than one year, felonies, multiple criminal convictions, prostitution, fire arms offenses, or other general criminal offenses; 
3. is suspected to be entering the United States to perform illegal, unlawful or immoral activities; 
4. is a suspected terrorist, drug dealer, communist, or nazi 
5. is an individual engaged in espionage, sabotage, technology export offenses, or is in violent opposition to the U.S. Government; 
6. is considered to become a public charge by not being able to support himself/herself at 125% above the poverty level; 
7. is an alien smuggler; 
8. committed fraud or willful misrepresentation in any Visa or immigration application filed with the United States Government 
9. was unlawfully present in the United States for more than 180 days 
10. was previously removed under an order of deportation 
11. is a person who falls under certain other miscellaneous grounds of exclusion.

Filing for Citizenship

Upon the fifth anniversary of the receipt of your Green Card, you will be eligible to file for your United States Citizenship.

Our goal is to provide quality service to all of our clients, whether they are large multinational corporations, small start up enterprises or individuals.

Knowledge, experience and strategy are assets we employ on behalf of our clients. For an employer sponsoring a foreign national, the firm prepares all paperwork, effectively describes and supports the alien's qualifications and ensures the application is complete and compliant with current regulations.

Please feel free to contact this office to further your immigration process.

E-Mail: lawyer@usvisa.com
Website: http://www.usvisa.com
U.S. Visa Associates
20501 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 117
Woodland Hills, California 91364 
USA
(818) 999-9088 
(818) 999-9688 Fax