Over one million immigrants annually are awarded lawful permanent resident status in the United States, while millions more wait to legalize their status. For most immigrants, the road to a Green Card is long and hard. Some newcomers endure many years existing outside the law; and even those with legal immigration papers sometimes make mistakes that can have long-term consequences. A bad credit history or a criminal record can prevent them from living a normal life, finding a good job, or obtaining citizenship.
The purpose of this guide is to help immigrants through common problems, such as: How to pay back income taxes and Social Security taxes. How to resolve scrambled Social Security earnings or recover employment taxes not paid by the employer. How to correct or establish your credit history. How to get a first job in your profession. What to do in case of identity theft and how to recover from unauthorized financial transactions. How to fix blemishes on your driving record and your vehicle history. How to fight traffic and parking tickets. How not to lose your driver s license. How to check and fix your criminal history.
