Other Areas of Law

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is responsible for aspects of immigration into the United States for residents of foreign countries. When the federal government replaced the...

Landlords have legal grounds for eviction when the rent is not paid, when there is a violation of the lease terms (for example, no pets, or no loud noises after a certain hour), when the tenant...

After you file a Medicaid application for benefits, you may check the status of your Medicaid determination. Pursuant to Medicaid regulations, your application must be approved or rejected...

Qualifying for a Canadian work visa virtually depends on one primary factor: the acquisition of a job from a Canadian employer. If you have a secured position with documents to prove your...

The first and most obvious reason to apply for a new social security number is identity theft. If your social security number is printed on your driver's license and your wallet is stolen, or your...

A Certificate of Naturalization (Form N-550 or N-570) is a new citizen's proof of having obtained his citizenship through naturalization. If your current Certificate of Naturalization is...

Usually, automatic citizenship through birth can be acquired only by the child of a U.S. citizen. However, Section 322 is the loophole for grandchildren of U.S. citizens. In the case of death of a...

A notary public is a person invested by the state with special authority. They witness signatures, administer oaths and, in some states, perform marriages. Because notaries provide an important...

The Citizenship and Immigration of Canada (CIC) bureau maintains an online service that allows you to check the application status of submitted cases. Unfortunately, it is selective in what...

Immigrating to Canada from Germany requires the same process and procedure as immigrating to Canada from France or Brazil. You must work through the Canadian foreign embassy in Berlin or one of...

Inventors eventually have to file a nonprovisional patent application to obtain patent rights to their invention. However, if you need time to shop your invention around to potential investors and...

You can only claim dual citizenship if you have a viable connection to another country; you cannot simply close your eyes and point to a country on a map and decide to become a citizen. Every...

Conversion of an O-1 visa to a "work permit" involves applying for an adjustment of status to a lawful permanent resident of the United States. Commonly called the "green card" application, people...

To adjust your immigration status, you will need to file the I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. For many temporary grants of residency, a change of status is...

You are eligible to apply for citizenship following three years of permanent residency gained by marriage. As a permanent resident, you are legal to remain in the United States without ever...

Canadian citizens and permanent residents enjoy many immigration benefits. One such benefit is the ability to sponsor their non-Canadian family members to immigrate to Canada. Sponsoring a family...

U.S. citizenship can be gained through two types of residency: three years through marriage immigration or five years through family, work or refugee immigration. After meeting the legal residency...

There are two different ways of becoming a U.S. citizen. The first is to be born in the U.S. or to be born to U.S. citizens. The second is to voluntarily become a naturalized citizen. The U.S. has...

U.S. Immigration Law requires that any immigrant interested in obtaining U.S. citizenship through naturalization begin the application process with United States Citizenship and Immigration...

The Citizenship Test, also known as the Naturalization Test, is a requirement to become a legal citizen of the United States through naturalization. The test demonstrates the applicant's knowledge...

Obtaining a green card in the United States is a time-consuming process. If you are waiting for a decision on your case, be careful when considering foreign travel because it could ruin your...

When applying for Social Security Disability benefits, you will need to allow a sufficient amount of time for your application to be processed by the Social Security Administration. Social...

Securing the right for your business to sell an original food product without competition takes only one request at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Article I, Section 8 of the U.S....

If you entered the U.S. on a valid visa and decide that you would like to stay permanently, you may qualify for an adjustment of status. If your adjustment of status is approved, you will hold...

A notary is a person of sound ethical standards registered with the state to perform certain legal functions, such as witnessing signatures and administering oaths. In some states, notaries...

Expunging an old criminal record can bring tremendous relief. Usually, you cannot expunge a record that has more than one offense, but it's possible to expunge a single misdemeanor or even a...

Inventors apply for patents to protect their original ideas. To receive a patent you must submit a completed, official application to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It is...

The Social Security Administration, also known as the SSA, offers assistance to individuals who are disabled through a social welfare program in the U.S. Individuals with a qualifying disability...

There are many benefits to holding dual citizenship with a second nation, including education, employment and health advantages. The United States permits its citizens to hold citizenship with a...

SSI, short for Supplemental Security Income, is a social welfare program in the U.S. that provides monthly income to qualifying individuals. SSI is controlled by the Social Security Administration...

The U.S. allows for its citizens and citizens of other nations who qualify for U.S. citizenship to hold dual citizenship. While the United States permits citizens to hold dual nationality, there...

With everyone sharing their artwork on World Wide Web, you might be concerned about copyrighting your watercolor prints to keep them safe. Since anyone could access them and try to pass them off...

SSI is a social assistance program that provides eligible Americans with a cash stipend to help cover their basic living expenses. Short for Supplemental Security Income, the program makes monthly...

College students applying for food stamps are required to go through almost the same steps as any other food stamp applicant. The law imposes few requirements on college students trying to obtain...

In Florida after a wedding, the local county Clerk of the Court files/records the marriage and sends the official license to the Bureau of Vital Statistics within two months of the wedding as a...

Any South African wishing to travel to Australia must apply and be approved for a visa. There are several types of tourist visas, though not all are available to citizens of South Africa.

A security license in Ontario allows you to work as a private investigator, security guard, loss prevention officer, bodyguard or bouncer. Previously, a security license was not required to...

An F1 visa is issued to foreign citizens pursuing studies at an accredited school in the United States. The F2 visa is issued to dependents of F1 students. It is possible to convert from an F1 to...

A notary public is someone who is vested with the authority to witness and certify the authenticity of documents. The National Notary Association helps people become notaries and helps current...

Canadian law allows residents to change their name to whatever they choose, within reason. Any person who is 18 years of age or older may legally change his name in Winnipeg, whether it's his...

The state of Michigan prohibits state residents from carry a concealed handgun without a Class 3 firearms license. Any resident over the age of 21 may apply for a Class 3 license, provided they...

Before any step is taken in acquiring dual citizenship, a connection to the country of application must be made. You cannot point your finger to a map and choose to be a dual citizen of any place...

U.S. naturalization is a lengthy procedure, and in many cases it is the final step in the immigration process whether through marriage, family, or residency. The qualifications vary in individual...

Both the U.S. and Canada allow their citizens to hold dual citizenship with other countries, and therefore it is legal for you to hold a U.S. and Canadian citizenship while residing in either...

That right to bear arms is afforded to you under the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. However, an FFL (Federal Firearms License) is required to enter any type of business...

The K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa is intended to allow a non-U.S.-visa-holding immigrant entry into the U.S. in order to marry a United States citizen or legal resident, provided the couple has proof of...

A California death certificate can be obtain in one of two ways. The California Department of Health, Office of Vital Records and the local county in which the person passed away issues death...

Even though Australia is a Commonwealth country, citizens of Australia require a spousal visa in order to join a U.K. citizen living in the United Kingdom. Spousal visas are applied for at the...

A fully updated, plain English guide to getting your Spanish NIE number whether you are in Spain or not. Understand the process before you decide whether you need professional assistance or would...

If you want to work in the United Kingdom, you'll need a work permit and a work visa. The permits, issued by Work Permits (UK), are only available for a specific job, through a specific employer....