Legal Question in Immigration Law in California

Need Atty for Registry Process

I need information on establishong legal residency via the Registry process.

The person in question is 50 yrs old & has continously been present in the US since approx 1960.

I believe this person originally entered from the Phillippines on a visitors visa as a child. His natural father ( permnanet resident - never became a US citizen) & his step mother ( US citizen who adopted this individual as an adult when he was 28 yeras old). Inability to locate his birth mother in the Phillippines prevented closure on adoption issues as a child. This person was under the belief he was a US citizen all his life. Only upon trying to replace a lost SS card did he become aware he could not prove he was a US citizen. The person is of good morale character, has no criminal record, B.S. & JD degreees & has worked for the same compnay since 1988.

Should I have an attorney assist me to assure greater probabilty of INS approval?

What is the approximate cost ( Attoney + filing fees + incidental fees) ?

What evidence of continuous presence since 1/1/72 is required?

Any San Francisco area referrals?


Asked on 11/21/04, 1:32 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys
Anja Freudenthal Immigration Law Office of Anja Freudenthal

Re: Need Atty for Registry Process

Dear Madam or Sir: Registry is a good possibility. However, you should have an attorney help you (or your friend) with this matter. I am a local San Francisco attorney who handles these types of cases. Please contact me directly at 415-834-1884. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Best regards,

Anja Freudenthal

Law Offices of Anja Freudenthal

870 Market Street, Suite 910

San Francisco, California 94102

Tel: 415-834-1884

Fax: 415-834-1894

email: [email protected]

http://www.anjaf-immlaw.com

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Answered on 11/22/04, 3:32 pm
Jacob Sapochnick

Re: Need Atty for Registry Process

Hi,

The current registry date is January 1, 1972. To qualify for the registry, the applicant must prove that they have resided in the US continuously since that date. Brief, temporary absences will not affect this, so long as the US has been the person�s place of residence. If a person is deported and reenters the US, the period of residence is ended. However, if a person accepts voluntary departure, the period of residence is not terminated.To qualify for the registry, the applicant must demonstrate good moral character. Certain actions automatically prevent a person from showing good moral character. These include alcoholism, most drug offenders, gambling, making false statements to obtain an immigration benefit, conviction of an aggravated felony, and for any reason being imprisoned for at least 180 days. Also, people who are deportable are not eligible for the registry, except for deportation grounds related to an undocumented entry and status violations. However, waivers of these grounds are available in some cases. Applicants for the registry must also not be ineligible for US citizenship. This means that the person cannot be unable to obtain naturalization due to actions taken to avoid military service.

To establish presence from 1972 we will need to interview the client and obtain affidvits from past employers and other proof depending on his situation. My recent case has been approved a few months ago and was based mostly on affidavits from past employers and school records.

We charge a fee of $2000 to process such cases, they are rather complex and an attorney will be recommended. I do have a satalite office in San Francisco. Please call 619 819 92 04 or email directly to [email protected] on Monday if you wish to discuss this further.

Jacob Sapochnick

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Answered on 11/21/04, 1:42 pm


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