QUESTION: How do I best prepare some sort of visa extension when I am in the United States as a visitor?

ANSWER: Bottom line, if you don’t read anything but one sentence, read this;  see a lawyer before your visa expires.  While visiting the United States, it is easy to fall in love with this great country. However, all visitors to the United States are fully made aware of their visa status and when it is to expire.  That being said, unless you plan on extending your visa stay or changing status prior to expiration, one must leave the country at or before expiration or they severely limit their chances of returning to the United States once they leave back to their home country, or worse, once they get arrested and deported by federal law enforcement agencies.  The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services in addition to other federal agencies are extremely particular with their documentation and investigations, as they should be, to provide safety to all individuals in this country.  In light of terrorist events since September 11, every nationality is treated the same when it comes to visa expiration and overstay.  Therefore, if there is any chance to extend your stay in the United States, it should be explored prior to visa expiration and not after.  As the American saying goes, if you wait until after visa expiration, you have already shot yourself in the foot.

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Alan Spivak
Attorney at Law
WWW.ALANSPIVAKLAW.COM

2406 Auburn Avenue
Cincinnati, Ohio 45219-2702

O:  513.532.2201
F:  513.672.9200
E:  ALAN@ALANSPIVAKLAW.COM