Oklahoma City, OK - When a person who is not a U.S. citizen wants to live and work in Oklahoma or any other state for a certain period of time, they must get permission from the government to do so. An agency known as Citizenship and Immigration Services has the authority to approve or deny various applications associated with the immigration process, and they control how procedures and policies are applied based on federal immigration laws. What is citizenship and immigration?According to the agency’s policy manual, this is a division of the federal government that employs thousands of workers who are located in various spots around the U.S. and the rest of the world. These individuals receive special training related to immigration law, the agency’s procedures, and other issues that they are likely to encounter while working. The mission of these employees is related to protecting the nation, as well as ensuring the integrity of the immigration process. The authority to conduct the agency’s mission comes from a few different federal laws, such as the Homeland Security Act of 2002. How do immigration lawyers assist with the citizenship and immigration process?Because there are a number of different rules that must be followed for successful applications for visas, green cards, and other immigration documents, some lawyers focus their entire careers on becoming proficient with these rules and helping others. Immigration attorneys in Oklahoma will often communicate with both the immigration courts and federal agencies as necessary to facilitate their client’s needs. Something as simple as a basic work visa requires a specific application based on the worker’s situation, and the approval process can involve many different filings and forms that must be completed correctly within a certain timeframe. When someone with a green card needs their full U.S. citizenship, they will also need to go through citizenship and immigration services to take their tests, interview, and finally receive their naturalization documents after taking the oath of citizenship.

Room full of people waving mini American flags; image by Kerwin Elias, via Unsplash.com

Does a person planning to come to the U.S. need an immigration lawyer?It is technically possible for someone to complete many of the immigration forms on their own and file them with the Citizenship and Immigration Services offices. However, the chances of a mistake or rejected application are extremely high when someone has no prior experience with immigration laws and procedures. Because there are processing times for each document filed, this can create lots of unnecessary delay and other problems. Retaining an attorney is the best option for most people who need visas or green cards. Finding the right immigration lawyerUSAttorneys.com is a website with listings of immigration lawyers in Oklahoma City and other parts of the country. People who need to meet with a local attorney can choose their state and  a practice area to get connected with a legal professional.