Visa Extensions

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Central Florida Visa Extension Attorneys

Protecting Your Status in the United States

If you have a nonimmigrant visa, it is extremely important that you never let your legal immigration status expire while in the United States. As soon as your visa expires, you will begin accumulating “unlawful presence” for every day that you are in the U.S. without valid status. Should you accrue more than 180 days but fewer than 365 days of unlawful presence, you can be barred from the U.S. for a period of 3 years. Should you overstay your visa for more than 1 year, you will likely face a 10-year ban. These bars will make it substantially more difficult to access immigration benefits in the future.

Our visa extension lawyers at Central Florida Immigration Attorneys can help you avoid overstays and secure timely extensions for your status. We are familiar with how to obtain extension of your nonimmigrant visa.

Benefit from our over 20 years of combined legal experience. Schedule an initial consultation by contacting us online or calling 407-710-9026 today!

Renewing Lawful Permanent Resident Cards

Many lawful permanent resident cards, including those obtained through employment-based immigration, will have 10-year validity periods. Beneficiaries can renew their lawful permanent resident cards for 10-year increments indefinitely so long as they continue to meet basic eligibility requirements, such as not being convicted of a deportable offense.

You should begin the renewal process in the 6-month window before your visa is set to expire. Applying to renew any sooner will most likely result in the rejection of your request.

Securing a renewal is often fairly easy so long as there are no disqualifying complications. You will need a copy of your lawful permanent resident cards, which in many cases is the only evidentiary documentation you will need to prove that you qualify for a renewal.

How Long Does it Take to Renew an LPR Card?

Processing times for renewals can take up to 12 months. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services will typically issue a stamp for your existing lawful permanent resident cards that confirms your renewal status is pending, allowing you to continue living and working in the country.

Renewing a Conditional LPR Card

If you obtained a lawful permanent resident card through marriage-based immigration, you may have received a conditional lawful permanent resident card that is only valid for 2 years. You will need to “remove conditions” in order to protect your status.

You must apply to remove conditions in the 90-day window before your visa is set to expire. You and your spouse will need to jointly file the necessary application materials, which will include providing new evidence of your legitimate marriage. You may also be asked to participate in another in-person interview with a USCIS official.

After successfully removing conditions, you will receive a non-conditional lawful permanent resident card that has a 10-year validity period.

Removing Conditions Without a Spouse

If you and your spouse are now divorced, your spouse passed away, or you were the victim of domestic abuse, you may still be able to self-petition to remove conditions. You will still need to demonstrate to USCIS that your marriage was entered in good faith.

We can help assess the specifics of your situation and assist in the preparation of your application materials.

Renewing Nonimmigrant Visas

Many nonimmigrant visas will have initial validity periods that can be extended under certain circumstances. Many visas will also allow recipients to seek lawful permanent resident cards.

Our visa extension attorneys can assist with extending many types of visas, including:

E Visas for Treaty Traders and Investors – These visas are valid for 2-year increments but can be extended indefinitely if the recipient is still engaged in qualifying trade or investment activities.
F-1 Visas for Students – F-1 visas can potentially be extended if a student learns that they will need more time to earn their degree or complete their coursework.
H-2B Visas for Skilled and Unskilled Seasonal Workers – H-2B visas initially last for 1 year but can potentially be extended for up to 3 years total. However, these extensions are only rarely granted.
O-1 Visas for Individuals with Extraordinary Abilities – These visas are intended to allow workers with outstanding accomplishments to compete, perform, or participate in a U.S.-based event. The O-1 visa will typically be valid for the time needed to complete a qualifying event or a maximum of 3 years. O-1 visas can be extended for 1-year increments for an unlimited number of times if continued presence in the United States is demonstrated to be necessary.
P Visas for Athletes and Entertainers – A P visa can initially be valid up to 1 year. Should competition schedules or performance schedules require a longer stay in the U.S., P visas can be extended an unlimited number of times in 1-year increments.
R Visas for Religious Workers – Most R visas will be initially valid for 30 months. If a recipient continues to work in a qualifying religious occupation, the visa can typically be extended for a maximum of 5 years.
TN Visas for Citizens of Canada and Mexico – TN visas have 3-year validity periods but can be renewed indefinitely so long as the recipient continues to work in a qualifying position.
U Visas for Victims of Crimes – U visas last for 4 years, and beneficiaries can apply for a lawful permanent resident card after 3 years. Obtaining an extension for a U visa is generally only possible if a law enforcement agency continues to require your direct assistance.

No matter what obstacles you face, our visa extension lawyers at Central Florida Immigration Attorneys will work to protect your immigration status. We understand the importance of avoiding the accumulation of unlawful presence and will leverage our decades of combined legal experience to benefit your case.

Explore your visa extension options with us by calling 407-710-9026 or contacting us online. We offer our legal services in English and Spanish.