What to do regarding legal residency status?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What to do regarding legal residency status?
I was born in Canada but have lived in the U.S. for 53 years, continually for the last 42. I have a social security card, signed up for the selective service, got federal student loans, have been married to a citizen for 28 years and have 2 grown children, both born in the U.S. When I went to renew my license in TX I was informed that my birth certificate from Canada was not sufficient. I believed that my parents had done whatever was necessary for me to be here legally but I guess that they did not. My mother has passed away and my father has dementia. I need to know what steps I need to take to solve this issue.
Asked on September 11, 2018 under Immigration Law, Texas
Answers:
SB Member California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
You would need to have either your US citizen spouse or your US citizen children who are over the age of 21 petition you for a green card (permanent residence) if you do not have that currently. THat process may take about 6-12 months. If you do not have any documents from your parents, chances are they never filed anything for you so this is what you need to do right now to be lawfully present in the US. Please let me know if you have any additional questions or how I can be of further assistance to you in this matter.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.