Illegal Alien

[carolina1601 0]

Okay I have a question and I am not sure how complicated my situation is. I have talked to a few different people and they all tell me something different so I really want the opinion of people who have some kind of experience with this. I came to the US when I was 7 years old. I am now 30 and an illegal alien in the US. I am engaged to be married but a lot of people tell me that getting married will not help my situation. Regardless of anything I plan on getting married but I want to know what I can do to get legal citizenship. The first few years I didn't really know I was here illegally because my mother never really talked about it. It didnt become an issue until I started looking for work. They say because we were brought here illegally it will affect me and I will have to go back to the country I was born in for 10 years. I want to know if anyone knows what or how I should handle this.

[Samoray 165]

I have heard so many cases about these Illegals ( specially Mexicans ) who marry USC then become legal somehow with the help of a good attorney, i don't know how it works exactly but i hope someone else would give you the good advice

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Okay I have a question and I am not sure how complicated my situation is. I have talked to a few different people and they all tell me something different so I really want the opinion of people who have some kind of experience with this. I came to the US when I was 7 years old. I am now 30 and an illegal alien in the US. I am engaged to be married but a lot of people tell me that getting married will not help my situation. Regardless of anything I plan on getting married but I want to know what I can do to get legal citizenship. The first few years I didn't really know I was here illegally because my mother never really talked about it. It didnt become an issue until I started looking for work. They say because we were brought here illegally it will affect me and I will have to go back to the country I was born in for 10 years. I want to know if anyone knows what or how I should handle this.

How did you get here? Was it legal by use of a visa or something? or did you sneak across the border? That's important because one is "illegal" and unable to adjust status and yes, 10 year ban when you leave, whereas the other is "out of status" and AOSing will be fine.

How old are you now? That also matters.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Carolina,

An "illegal" is somebody who entered the US without inspection (EWI), basically by "sneaking in under the radar. By its very nature (since clinging to the outside of an airplane is rather difficult), this happens mostly through the Mexican border. An illegal can never adjust status to resident (citizen is a totally different thing), because he or she has no status to adjust from.

If you entered with a visa in your passport, however, but overstayed since, you can adjust status after becoming the spouse of a US citizen. Before we proceed, we need to know how you entered and if you still have your passport, if you ever had one).

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

If you entered on a Visa (B-Class tourist for example) in your name and can prove it (have passport with entry stamp or old I-94) then you can adjust Status after marrying a US Citizen.

If you Entered Without Inspection (sneaked/were smuggled across the border or entered on a false name) then you can't adjust status without leaving the US.

If you have even made a false claim to be a US Citizen then you can face a lifetime ban that cannot be waived. How have you been working? Have you ever voted?

If you leave the US before Adjusting Status you will be banned for a period of 10 years and will require a waiver of inadmissibility in order to get a Visa to return before the 10 years.

[Boiler 45,663]

As Bob said, one step at a time.

Marriage itself does not do anything either way.

[Deputy Purple 1,294]

I also forgot, even if you did enter on a valid visa you need to find out if there was ever a deportation order on you. You can be deported in absentia which would also require a waiver of inadmissibility and marriage to USC after deportation proceedings are started is presumed to be for immigration purposes.

[RICARDO4EVA2 194]

Where did carolina go? I'd like to know too.. i had a cousin who EWI 4yrs ago and told him he'd be required to return home