Customer Reviews

How to Get a Green Card

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is another book I wish I had flipped through before purchasing. There are MANY paths to a green card, they are complicated and subtle and only a couple of them will apply to a given individual. This book tries to cover them all in 350 odd pages, about a THIRD of which are photocopies of INS forms. This implies, of course, that depth of treatment is very light. If you have a question of any sophistication, you won't find the answer here. In my case I had a set of questions about the EAD (employment authorization document) and what exactly it permits, and was greeted by ONE paragraph which didn't even describe what it really is. On the important decision of Adjustment Of Status vs. Consular Processing I got no intelligent help. It leaned towards the AOS route without even mentioning that this could take you *3 years* to get through. (BTW, I found much more information on these topics online.)

I can't figure out who this book is for. If it's for someone with an immigration attorney wanting an overview of the process, then I don't get why it has so many photocopied forms. If it's for do-it-yourselfers, the shallow treatment will at best give you a false sense of security that you know what's going on. If it's for an immigration professional, then the coverage of all cases might be nice, but again the shallowness will make it nearly useless. I do know that if you're taking an employment-based route to immigration, this book will be of little help.

I bought this book because of a great experience with another Nolo press book. This one has been almost useless to me.

I am lawyer from Brazil, and wanted to get real information about the green card application process (without having to go through the dry explanation in the INS website) and was completely disapointed and upset when I received this book. It does not cover anything in depth, and wastes a lot of time talking about temporary visas, fiance visas (I thougt it was supposed to explain about greencards!), special greencards for amerasians (which is not a very common situation)...
As for what I was really interested in, which was the green card application process for work-related reasons, there is a small, incomplete paragraph and a suggestion that I find an attorney!!!!
Waste of money, useless -- if you want to get a green card, either find another book, check the INS website, or hire a lawyer, this book will not help at all.

I believe this book may be of interest to many readers.
First of all, it explains how visitors from abroad can legally prolong their stay in the USA. It's possible to apply for an extension of one's visitor's status without leaving the USA. And this book guides well through this procedure.
Secondly, those who are interested in applying for a green card, should find the most suitable category if they want to succeed. The book describes qualifications and outlines the application process for each of them.
Many people don't know that they may be inadmissible for one or another reason even if they otherwise meet all the green card applicant requirements. Someone already in the US, and still may not be allowed to proceed if he or she falls into one of the inadmissible categories - as a violator of immigration rules in the past or for health reasons, for example. Some people find this out only after passing a medical exam. But you may want to learn about the regulations in advance. The book covers this issue in detail, including who and how can apply for a waiver of inadmissibility.
Another sensitive chapter is on cancellation of deportation. How and in what cases this may be done...
Also, you'll find some important information on how and who is eligible to claim status as a refugee or political asylee.
In all, I think the book is pretty informative and filled with practical advice. It's also easy to read and understand.

I used a previous version of this book as a reference when I applied to get my husband a green card. It was very helpful, as the explanations and instructions are detailed and clear.

Although my husband's situation was somewhat difficult, I felt confident enough, with this book as my guildline, to do everything without the help of a lawyer (which, as those of you in a similar situation know, can be very expensive).

Through my experience, I also have found that the anecdotes and random advice (such as how to present one's self in the interviews and how to deal with the long waits at the INS offices) were right on the mark.

Firstly, as stated in the product information about this book: This book is not appropriate for those seeking work-related green cards. It mostly targets how to get a family related green card.

Secondly, this is a process that in most cases should only be attempted with the help of an attorney. That being said, this book will save you money on attorney fees by helping you walk through certain steps yourself without the costly assistance of an attorney.

My personal experience: I am an American married to an Italian living outside the US at the moment. We have been reading our US consulate website here in Italy, going through endless forms, trying to understand which of those forms and rules apply to us, how much it will cost, when to make a trip to the consulate (9 hours away). This book breaks down by chapter and section which forms apply to which situation, what you can mail in, when you have to appear in person, cutting out a lot of the seemingly endless research as to what we can and should do for my husband to be able to one day return with me to the US.

Some readers are upset by the fact that there is a lot of talk of visas, however in many cases, a valid visa must be presented in order to obtain a green card. Without that step our application would be denied, ruining future chances of my being able to reapply for residency. This is a detail that would have been foolish on the part of the author to overlook (thankfully they didn't). Each situation is explained and then a sample of the actual form is shown. I am impressed with how easy this book was to read as well as how clearly everything was presented. I wish the governmental websites were as easy to read and understand, but I'm glad I found this book to make the process easier. Good luck readers and thanks to HOLO for a great guide for green card applicants!

Should also be renamed for future additions, "How to Get a Green Card and Become a U.S. Citizen".

I have relatives outside of the U.S. that I would like to bring over and I believe this book will help me with any future issues and questions. I have already gone through the process once myself bringing someone over and initially used the services of someone who didn't do that great a job. I had to do it myself the next time around. Back then, I didn't use any resources and merely trusted and relied on reading and responding in English (English as my first language), thankfully it worked.

The book covers different ways to get a green card, short term alternatives, problems like inadmissibility, wait times, Fiancé and Fiancée Visas, green cards through marriage, parents, siblings, children and orphans as immigrants, the Visa lottery, Amerasian immigrants, and refugees and political asylees amongst other things.

You can do it yourself if you have a good grasp of the English language and aren't a criminal. That is, to basically just understand and fill out your forms correctly. You only need "services" if you don't want to do the work yourself or have a shady history. This is but one of the steps towards becoming a citizen of the great United States of America.

This book has samples of some useful forms--always helpful to see in advance--and a good overview of the process of getting a visa. There are so many ways to come to the U.S. and not all of them lead to a Green Card. (And some are much easier and faster ways than others.) This is explained and examples are given.

Bray also is realistic about what you can/can't do without a lawyer, and explains many of the terms you will encounter while pursuing immigration status. But this book does NOT explain how to go from a work visa to a permanent residence visa--an area that many, perhaps most, interest to the reader.

And although this limitation -is- stated in the introductory blurb above, the cover of the book claims it gives, "All the legal guidance you need to obtain permanent U.S. residence."

This claim is, flatly, untrue. It does not.

The immigration process is complex and has a vocabulary of its own. The more you know about it and the better you understand the process and how it -might- work for you BEFORE you start to become a permanent resident, the better.

This book does a good job of presenting that overview. It does NOT do a good job of giving you, "All the legal guidance you need to obtain permanent U.S. residence." So...if your goal is (1) to become more knowledgable about the process in order to ask more intelligent questions and prepare yourself and your plans better in advance, this book is a good choice. If your goal is (2) to become a permanent U.S. resident without using a lawyer--just using this book--it is NOT a good choice (Nor is it good if you want a green card from working). Hence, the "middle" rating of only three stars (it would be higher if your goal is #1; much lower, if it is the second).

In this time of Arizona Lawlessness and racial oppression, this is the most important book you can buy.

If you do not need one, you know plenty who do.

Fulfill that Biblical mandate. Receive the stranger at the gate.

Help us to stay home.

Nolo is the most respected and useful name in this field, and the most comprehensive, with countless books of legal aid, complete with forms and applications for every situation which might arise.

This book is thus.

Well organized, for easily finding your particular situation, and the process for the most favorable resolution under the current Draconian and dysfunctional system, which hopefully will quickly be resolved into a most equitable and regularized and depoliticized and just and open and functioning process.

If our president could do it with our new health care and financial reformations, certainly we can for the dozen million people now living and working in our nation without regularized papers (in order to enslave us all the more).

The authors are experts in the field.

Ilona Bray (Doctor of Jurisprudence) practiced immigration law, focusing on international Human Rights issues, seeking asylum for clients and family rights and requirements, our most basic human right. Atty. Bray is also the author of Nolo's Becoming a U.S. Citizen: A Guide to the Law, Exam & Interview as well as Fiance & Marriage Visas: A Couple's Guide to U.S. Immigration (Fiance and Marriage Visas). She earlier worked for Oakland's International Institute of the East Bay and interned at Amnesty International's London office, among several other achievements in the field of Human Rights and the Law.

Loida Nicolas Lewis (also JD) worked as an attorney for the INS itself for fifteen years, and practiced law in the Philippines and in New York.

Because of the continually evolving nature of the legislation and policies, any work in this field of immigration law requires continual updating. This has been carefully provided for this ninth edition (dated 2010) by Atty. Ruby Leiberman, who is a specialist in immigration and nationality law for the California Bar and serves as mentoring lawyer for the San Francisco Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights, along with many other professional achievements in the field of immigration.

As ever Nolo got the best in the business for the most comprehensive and up to date text possible with samples of all of the necessary forms, and instructions for their completion.

With the Index and the extensive forms sections, this book is divided into 25 different sections, plus introduction, covering every possible contingency, addressed to the reader as the end user.

For example, one section deals with Children as immigrants, exploring thoroughly that aspect, and all its special requirements.

The Irish Herald wrote of this book: Though many how-to books on the subject have been published, none have come with better credentials than this up-to-date, well-presented guide.

There is no more eloquent and urgent endorsement than this.
Get this book and use it for all whom you love and will come to love by the careful use of this book.

I love the NOLO books but I have to say that this book isn't my favorite. It's too general and really just provides more of an overview on your green card options. We used Fiance & Marriage Visas: A Couple's Guide to U.S. Immigration which is an excellent book with step by step instructions on how to do it. My wife is now holding her green card and everything went smoothly with no attorney.

I generally only choose to review books about meditation and spirituality, but found this book interesting in regard to a subject that has been a concern for many international friends and contacts. Part of my life I was both a Court Clerk and Paralegal. From this standpoint, I can appreciate something that is well organized and presents almost everything that you need to know, including some special tips that you cannot usually get without some experience. For instance, the authors recommend not having this book with you when you come to America as a tourist (and also not to have any letters or items that suggest that you are getting a job as soon as you come here or anything that suggests that you are coming here for anything other than a simple visit as a tourist). I use the word "almost" in a previous sentence in order to be precise. The book very quickly tells you what kind of green cards or permanent residence it can help a person with and what kinds it cannot. It limits itself to what is legal and straightforward, cases with no special complications. It outlines grounds for inadmissibility and how a person might be able to legally have these grounds lifted, and what are the odds of this happening. The book is loaded with charts, bullet points, grey text boxes, pictures of sample forms (the book does not have usable forms, since it says that these get updated too much to be relevant, but shows where the forms can be obtained), and outlines. The book itself is organized with an implicit outline to make referencing the relevant parts (to each case) easy. There are stories of actual cases to highlight some of the suggestions and what to do. All in all, I wish more legal books were as well organized as this one. While this book might not handle every possible situation, it is a good place and a low cost place to start. I would recommend it for anyone who needs to get familiar with the basic issues and laws. Even if a person needs to seek legal help or a lawyer, I think a person would be better prepared for having studied this first. There are sections, too, on how to build up a paper trail that supports making your case (proving, for instance, that the marriage is not sham but a genuine one).