Three Websites That You Definitely Need to Know If You Are A Green Card Applicant
Although there is not a single path to a Green Card, the sites below will help you navigate the process with less uncertainty and stress.
1 — Freedom of Information Act
The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a federal law that ensures that US citizens have access to information, a fundamental right in a democratic society. This law also applies to temporary residents such as non-immigrant visa holders (ex. H-1B, L1, etc.). FOIA comes in handy if your employer does not keep you informed about the progress of your green card application. This is a common practice among employers. Regardless of what they say, you have the right to have a copy of every application or other document with your name on it. It is advisable to avoid conflict with your employer or their attorney if they refuse to provide you a copy of your documents. Instead, you may put on a request to foia.gov and wait a week or two to receive your documents directly from the agency.
My experience: My employer had a strong interest in keeping all the details of the green card application secret. I contacted FOIA frequently throughout the green card process and received a copy of my documents in a timely manner.
2 — Avvo
It is common knowledge that Green Card applicants have to navigate unchartered waters for an extended period of time. Most of the uncertainty stems from the fact that the transition from a non-immigrant to an immigrant status entails status changes in critical aspects of one’s life, such as employment or travel.
For instance, a Green Card applicant receives a lucrative job offer and wants to change jobs. The question then is, “what happens to my Green Card application if I change jobs now? Should I wait or not?”. In those cases, friends and family who have gone through the process can provide answers. However, not everyone knows someone who has the perfect answer to their question. After all, everyone’s situation is different. Thus, the complicated legal context forces applicants to seek legal assistance. Although there is an abundance of immigration lawyers, their consultation fees begin from $150 for one hour. Applicants usually have a single question that, although it needs an immediate answer, does not justify the cost of hiring an attorney. Avvo.com gives the solution to this problem.
This website is a platform that connects lawyers with users that seek legal advice. All you have to do is click on “Ask a free question” and post your question to the platform. A large number of lawyers with expertise in immigration matters will review this question, and they will post their responses. Usually, you receive 3–4 responses within 24 hours.
From that point, you can either hire the lawyer that best responded to your question if you need additional advice or just close out of the website. The best part is that there are no charges for the legal advice that you receive.
My experience: I have used the website more than five times with questions that pertain to immigration, housing, and employment issues. The lawyers were pretty quick to post answers, most of which were very helpful. I did not have to pay for their services.
3 — Trackitt
The green card process entails long waiting times and uncertainty across every step. The beneficiary or the sponsor has no way to monitor where each form (i.e., I-131, I-140, etc.) stands in the processing queue or when they will receive decision notice for that particular form from the respective federal agency. The only official source of information is the USCIS website, which estimates average processing times based on historical data once a month.
However, processing times vary significantly between seasons of the same year, and applicants oftentimes need more updated information. The solution to this problem comes from the crowdsourcing website Trackitt.com.
Applicants contribute information about their case, and the platform presents the data in well-organized tables by form type such as PERM or I-485. Users can then track approval dates and an indicative pace of processing times.
What is more, there are forums dedicated to each form where users engage in conversations, share tips, and exchange experiences. Access to the website and its information is open to everyone. However, contributing information and participating in forum discussions requires registration. As with every crowdsourcing platform, active participation and information sharing are encouraged and deemed vital for the community’s benefit and the website’s longevity.
