Immigration services
Work Permits, Travel Documents, DACA and Other Immigration Services in Houston
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If you need a work permit and travel document lawyer in Houston, Herrera Law Firm can help. We also handle status changes, extensions and DACA renewals.
Attorney Hector Herrera and his team have assisted thousands of immigrants in their efforts to live and work in the United States. We speak English and Spanish.
Employment authorization document (EAD)
Every U.S. employer must check that all employees, whatever their citizenship or nationality, are allowed to live and work in the United States. An EAD, also called a work permit, is one way to show that you are allowed to work in the United States for a period of time. We also handle employment-based immigration.
Travel documents
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues four types of travel documents.
- Reentry permit. It lets a permanent resident enter the United States from abroad while the permit is valid. The resident does not need a returning resident visa from a U.S. Embassy or consulate.
- Carrier documentation. It lets a transportation carrier or an airline board a permanent resident who has been abroad temporarily. It applies when the resident’s Green Card or reentry permit has been lost, stolen or destroyed.
- Advance parole. It lets a person travel back to the United States without applying for a visa. An airline may choose to accept it instead of a visa as your authorization to enter the United States. It does not replace your passport.
- Refugee travel document. It is given to a person classified as a refugee or asylee, or to a permanent resident who obtained permanent resident status in the United States. People who hold refugee status and are not Green Card holders must show a refugee travel document to enter the United States after temporary travel abroad.
Adjustment of status to lawful permanent resident status
Adjustment of status is the process you can use to apply for lawful permanent resident status while you are in the United States. This is also called applying for a Green Card. You may get a permanent resident card without returning to your home country to finish visa processing.
If you are outside the United States, you need to get your visa abroad through consular processing. See our page on green cards and adjustment of status for details.
Consular processing
Once your immigrant petition is approved and an immigrant visa number is available to you, there are two ways to apply for a Green Card.
If you are outside the United States, you can apply for an immigrant visa at a U.S. Department of State consulate abroad. With that visa you enter the United States as a permanent resident. This path is called consular processing.
If you are in the United States, you can use adjustment of status instead.
Change of status within the United States
To change the purpose of your visit while you are in the United States, you or your employer must file a request with USCIS. File it on the appropriate form before your authorization expires.
For example, a person who arrived as a tourist and wants to remain as a student has to apply to change status. We recommend filing as soon as you know you need a different nonimmigrant category.
Extension of status within the United States
To extend your stay in the United States, you must file a request with USCIS before your authorized stay expires. Use Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status.
If you stay longer than you are authorized, you may be barred from returning, deported, or both. To find the date your authorization expires, check the lower right-hand corner of your Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record. We suggest filing at least 45 days before that date.
Requests for evidence (RFE) responses
USCIS is issuing more and more requests for evidence for many types of immigration petitions. We help individuals and employers gather the documents to present to USCIS. The aim is to raise the chance of showing that the applicant is eligible for the benefit sought.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
Important information. Due to court orders, USCIS has resumed accepting requests to renew a grant of deferred action. USCIS is not accepting requests from people who were never granted deferred action. Until further notice, and unless otherwise provided in this guidance, the DACA policy will operate on the terms in place before it was rescinded on Sept. 5, 2017.
Additional resources:
- Adjustment of Status to Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) Status
- Work Permits (EAD)
- Travel Document
- Re-entry Permits
- Consular Processing
- Changes of Status within the U.S.
- Extension of Status within the U.S.
- Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
- Requests for Evidence (RFE) Responses
How Herrera Law Firm helps with work permits, travel documents and DACA in Houston
Every case starts with a one-hour consultation. We learn your goal, explore your options, and then carry out the plan together.
The firm is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
Questions about working with a work permit and travel document lawyer in Houston
Is a permanent resident card the same as a Green Card?
Yes. Applying for lawful permanent resident status is also called applying for a Green Card.
Does advance parole replace my passport?
No. An advance parole document does not replace your passport.
When should I file to extend my stay?
We suggest filing at least 45 days before the date on your Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record.
Can you help if I live outside Houston?
Yes. Clients come from Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Pearland, Cypress and nearby cities. Immigration law is federal, so we also represent clients in other states.
Ready to take the first step?
Book your one-hour consultation and leave with a clear plan for your case.