Our Blog | Goldstein Immigration Lawyers

Boston Immigration Lawyer News Immigration Judge Francis L. Cramer has announced his retirement from Boston Immigration Court. As an immigration lawyer who appeared frequently before Immigration Judge Cramer, I can say that he will be sorely missed. He had a reputation for deciding deportation cases fairly and impartially. And he always treated the immigration lawyers and parties with great respect, at times, a lighthearted humor. His departure leaves a vacancy in the Boston Immigration Court bench that will be hard to fill. READ MORE

May 26 2010

Haitian TPS: July, 20, 2010 is last day to register

TPS, TPS for Haitians

As a Boston immigration lawyer, I help many in the Haitian community with immigration issues. When a devastating earthquake struck Haiti, the Obama Administration and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services did the right thing by granting Temporary Protective Status to Haitians living in the U.S. READ MORE

May 23 2010

Boston Immigration Lawyer Joshua Goldstein quoted in the Boston Globe

Deportation, Marriage-Based Immigration, Removal

As an Boston immigration lawyer and expert on the marriage-based green card process, I was quoted in today's Boston Globe article discussing marriage fraud and earlier in a Boston Herald article. I also appeared on The Boston Channel, WCVB Channel 5 news discussing deportation and sham marriages. You can watch the news video here. And you can read my blog on marriage fraud and green cards here. The Boston Globe article looks at the immigration problems of 3 Pakistanis whom the Department of Homeland Security has detained in connection with the Times Square bombing. According to media reports, they are facing the prospect of deportation or removal from the United States and are appearing in Boston Immigration Court before Immigration Judge Robin Feder. Each are married to U.S. citizens. But attorneys from Immigration and Customs Enforcement allege that the marriages are fraudulent. READ MORE

May 5 2010

Former immigration client attacked in Boston with pasta!

Deportation, Immigration News Boston

As an immigration lawyer in Boston, this case must be one of my most unusual. I appeared on Boston's Channel 5 news in connection with a bizarre incident that happened to one of my former clients. Click on this link here to read the story and watch the video. Sure the story is strange. But my former immigration client--who I helped get U.S. citizenship--did the right thing. He remained calm. And he called 9-11. Fortunately, surveillance cameras captured everything. All in all, I was happy to step in and help my former immigration client. READ MORE

Apr 20 2010

Stuck in the U.S. because of the Icelandic volcano? What to do if your immigration status is expiring

Extension of stay, visa waiver program, Visitor's Visa

As an immigration lawyer in Boston, my office has been inundated with calls from Europeans and others who can't return home because the Icelandic volcano has disrupted air travel or caused airport closure. If you are in the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and can't leave in a timely manner and are in danger of overstaying because of the volcano, here's what you can do: go in person to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office located in Terminal E at Boston Logan International Airport; or make an INFOPASS appointment to speak with an immigration officer at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Boston District Office. USCIS and CBP have trained their staff on how to handle visa waiver cases like these. How do you extend your stay if you are in the U.S. under a visa? READ MORE

Apr 19 2010

How to get a green card after using someone else’s US birth certificate to get a driver’s license

Green card, Immigration Waiver

Boston Green Card Lawyer You just got married--congratulations. Now, based on your marriage to a U.S. citizen, you want to apply for a green card through the adjustment of status process by filing an I-485 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. But there's one tiny problem: a few years back, you knowingly used someone else's U.S. birth certificate (from Puerto Rico, for instance) to get a Massachusetts driver's license. As an immigration attorney in Boston, I come across this problem frequently. READ MORE

Apr 11 2010

Can you get a green card through marriage if you don’t live with your spouse?

Adjustment of Status, Green card, Marriage-Based Immigration

As an immigration attorney in Boston, I've helped countless immigrants navigate through the process of becoming permanent residents through marriage to a U.S. citizen. One of the most frequent questions I get is whether you can successfully obtain a green card through a marriage petition if you and your spouse aren't living together. The answer is yes . . . and no. Let me explain. READ MORE

Apr 7 2010

Why my answer to your quick immigration question is usually “it depends”

Green card, Immigration News Boston, Immigration Tips

"Can I apply for green card? Yes or no?" "I just have a quick question" "My immigration case is easy. What should I do?" When potential immigration clients call me and ask me these sorts of questions, they want to hear my snap advice on their immigration cases. My usual answer is "it depends." And for potential immigration clients, "it depends" can be frustrating and disappointing response. Why is it that my off-the-cuff answer to your immigration questions is "it depends"? Is this just my way of luring you into taking the time and incurring the needless expense of coming into my Boston immigration office for a full consultation. Of course not! READ MORE

Apr 7 2010

10 Tips for Boston Immigration Court

Deportation, Immigration Court Boston, Immigration Tips, Removal

Deportation Defense Tips for Boston Immigration Court As a deportation defense lawyer who frequently appears in Immigration Court in Boston, here are some tips that should improve your experience at your immigration hearing: Attend all hearing in Immigration Court (and all other courts). If you don't go to Immigration Court for your hearing, the Immigration Judge will give you an order of removal or deportation "in absentia" and a warrant will be issued for your arrest. Arrive one hour before the time of your scheduled hearing. In Boston Immigration Court, for all master calendar hearings, a sign-in sheet is placed in the waiting room. I tell my immigration clients to arrive and sign in one hour before the scheduled time of the hearing. The sooner you sign in, the sooner your immigration case will be heard by the Immigration Judge. Plus, showing up early helps ensure that you will be in Immigration Court on time. Be careful: if you are late for your immigration hearing, you could be given an order of removal or deportation. READ MORE

Apr 6 2010

Citizenship: Why appealing the denial of your N-400 might be a bad strategy

Citizenship, immigration appeal, N-336, Naturalization

Boston Citizenship Lawyer If you want to appeal the denial of your naturalization application, I might recommend that you not do this. Let me explain why. First some background: if you apply for naturalization by filing Form N-400 and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) denied your application, you should receive a written denial letter explaining why your application was not approved. Along with this denial letter, you should also receive Form N-336, allowing you to request a hearing on the denial of your naturalization application. The N-336 effectively serves as an appeal since it allows you to seek an administrative review of the denial. READ MORE

Boston Immigration Judge Francis L. Cramer Retires