One of the most common inquiries we receive, is someone saying “My spouse is illegal.” or “I want to get papers for my wife.” First off, the proper term for someone who is here without proper immigration status is that they are “undocumented”. Yes, undocumented persons can sometimes obtain documents and become a permanent resident or receive a “green card.” Typically, these are complicated cases which should be handled by a competent immigration attorney and involve many factors including but not limited to:
- Did your spouse enter with a visa or passport and overstay?
- Has your spouse returned to their home country after entering illegally?
- Did your spouse ever get stopped at the border and sent home?
- Does your spouse have a criminal record?
- Is your spouse eligible to pay a penalty fee and process for permanent residency in the U.S.?
- How many years has your spouse been in the U.S.?
Give us a call, we are happy to talk with you on the phone and see what we can do to help.
