The easiest and most common way to file for an immigration visa is through family sponsorship. You may have heard of “green card weddings,” which refers to people who get married solely to become a legal resident of the United States. While cases like these do exist, this is far from the norm. Having a relative who is a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident can greatly increase your chances of being approved for a visa.

Two Categories of Visas

There are two types of family-based immigrant visas, and applicants who wish to use this way of securing citizenship must fall into one of these two groups. An unlimited number of Immediate Relative (IR) visas are available. An immigrant must be classified as an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen to qualify. These visa types include: 

If you are going through a divorce and have children from your marriage, child support payments from one party to the other are practically inevitable. Child support payments are usually required from the non-custodial parent, or the parent who does not "house" the child as frequently as his or her former spouse. However, even if the child’s living arrangements are split between each parent 50/50, the higher-earning parent will often still provide some form of child support payments to keep the child’s lifestyle consistent, regardless of the house in which he or she is residing. 

How Are Child Support Payments Calculated?

Most states, including Texas, utilize an equation to calculate the level of child support owed by the non-custodial parent. While this is neither the sole means used nor the final calculation done, it acts as a baseline for child support payment amounts. The calculation begins with determining the non-custodial parent's monthly resources. The individual’s yearly gross income will be divided by 12, then tax payments will be deducted from the amount. Next, the number of children eligible will be determined. Children will receive child support while they are under the age of 18 or until they graduate high school, whichever is later. The percentage of a parent's income allotted to children depends on how many children are eligible for support. The following are the percentages of monthly resources owed in child support based on the number of children involved in the court case:

Advanced medical directives allow a person to communicate his or her wishes about potential future medical treatments. These documents may be created along with a medical power of attorney, which designates a person to oversee medical decisions during times when someone is unable to do so on his or her own. Deciding to seek out an estate planning attorney and create advanced medical directives can seem unnecessary if a person is young and healthy; however, planning for the future is the best way to avoid unpredictable outcomes if things take a turn for the worse.

There are various types of advanced directives. Some people may choose to use just one of the options, while others may complete all of the available legal documents.  

During a divorce, some things inevitably change between parents and their children. The relationship itself is not always affected, but custody arrangements can strain some parent-child interactions. Custody schedules are created based on the child’s best interests. In many cases, both parents will have similar amounts of time with their child to try to preserve a sense of normalcy. For parents with more complicated relationships, supervised visits may be required of the non-custodial parent. 

When Is Supervised Visitation Appropriate?

In Texas, supervised visitation is required in situations where a parent poses a threat to the child. Any form of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse from that parent warrants supervised visits. This can include abuse the parent inflicted on the child or on the other parent. Parents with substance abuse problems or uncontrollable mental illnesses can also endanger the child. Those parents who have neglected their child or who have been absent from the child's life may also be required to have supervised visitation.

Getting deported is every immigrant’s biggest fear. Whether you just arrived in the United States or have built a life here, you run the risk of being sent back to your country of origin if you are found to be in violation of immigration laws. The deportation process is scary for any undocumented immigrant, but it is important to understand the steps followed during this process and your rights when facing potential deportation.

The Deportation Process Explained

The deportation process can begin with an arrest by state or local law enforcement officers. When criminal charges are filed, an individual’s fingerprints are sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety, which are then passed on to the FBI. If these fingerprints match federal immigration records at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the person can be detained in the local jail for up to 48 hours before being released to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE may also begin deportation proceedings against a person on its own by sending a person a Notice to Appear for a removal hearing. Deportation will typically involve the following steps: