Visa U Ajuste de Estatus y Ciudadanía Estadounidense
Denice Flores • August 3, 2023
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¡Si su visa U fue aprobada, puede ser elegible para solicitar convertirse en residente permanente legal de los Estados Unidos y convertirse en ciudadano estadounidense! Aquí está lo que necesitas saber:
A un individuo con estatus de No Inmigrante U (U-1, U-2, U-3, U-4, U-5), se le otorga un permiso de trabajo por 4 años bajo la categoría de visa U (A19) o (A20), esta es la “visa U”. La persona debe tener su estatus de no inmigrante U durante al menos 3 años, a partir de la fecha en que fue aprobado, para ser elegible para solicitar una green card y convertirse en residente permanente legal ("LPR") de los Estados Unidos. Este proceso también se conoce como “ajuste de estatus”.
Tenga en cuenta que al solicitar convertirse en LPR y ciudadano estadounidense ("USC"), el solicitante debe
seguir siendo una persona de buen carácter moral. Esto significa que el solicitante debe evitar meterse en cualquier tipo de problema con la ley, para ser considerado una persona de buen carácter moral y un buen candidato para convertirse en LPR y USC.
Después de tener una visa U durante 3 años, el destinatario de la visa U debe solicitar convertirse en un LPR con los Servicios de Ciudadanía e Inmigración de los EE. UU. ("USCIS"). Es importante tener en consideración que si un destinatario de la visa U solicita convertirse en LPR durante el tiempo que todavía tiene la visa U vigente y válida, su estatus de no inmigrante U se extiende automáticamente hasta que USCIS emita una decisión sobre la solicitud de ajuste de estatus. Esto significa que incluso si el permiso de trabajo de la visa U vence, el solicitante todavía tiene estatus de no inmigrante U hasta que USCIS emita una decisión para la solicitud de ajuste de estatus. El solicitante puede demostrar que todavía tiene el estatus proporcionando su permiso de trabajo con visa U y el Aviso de recibo del Formulario I-485, Solicitud de ajuste de estatus. (El formulario I-485 es la solicitud de tarjeta verde para convertirse en LPR).
Algunas de las pruebas que deben incluirse con la solicitud para ajustar el estatus a un LPR son pruebas documentales que demuestren que el solicitante ha residido en los EE. UU. durante el tiempo que ha tenido la visa U (al menos 3 años). Algunos ejemplos de evidencia para demostrar esto incluyen los talones de pago de empleo del solicitante, contratos de arrendamiento/alquiler, facturas de servicios públicos, estados de cuenta bancarios, declaraciones de impuestos sobre la renta y fotografías.
Como beneficiario de una visa U y solicitante de ajuste de estatus, una diferencia en este proceso es que generalmente no se requiere que el solicitante asista a entrevista ante USCIS. Esto significa que el solicitante recibirá su decisión por correo, así como su tarjeta de Residente Permanente, en caso tal se aprobase.
Después de que el solicitante ajusta su estatus a un LPR, el solicitante debe mantener la residencia permanente legal durante 5 años en los EE. UU., para ser elegible para solicitar la ciudadanía estadounidense. Al solicitar la ciudadanía estadounidense, el solicitante será entrevistado y deberá cumplir con todos los demás requisitos de elegibilidad (prueba de educación cívica, prueba de inglés, prueba de escritura) como la mayoría de los demás solicitantes que solicitan la ciudadanía estadounidense.
Tenga en cuenta que un titular de visa U que solicita convertirse en LPR y luego en USC no requiere un patrocinador o peticionario. Más bien, el solicitante es un auto peticionario, lo que significa que está solicitando por su cuenta para obtener un estatus legal en los EE. UU.
Si tiene alguna inquietud sobre cómo solicitar su tarjeta de Residente Permanente, y luego la ciudadanía, como beneficiario de una visa U, programe una consulta con uno de nuestros abogados experimentados en el área.
Esperamos con interés trabajar con usted.
Este blog no busca constituir una asesoría legal y nada de lo que aquí lea debe interpretarse como el establecimiento de una relación abogado-cliente. Programe una consulta con un abogado de inmigración antes de actuar basado en cualquier información contenida en el presente.
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Denice Flores
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