How Do I Extend My Family Visa in Florida?

You’re living in the United States on a family visa. Now, you want to extend it, but you aren’t sure how to go about it. Here’s some more information on extending your family visa, as well as information on how to get legal help for your extension.

Contact USCIS

It’s important to contact the office of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before doing anything. You should apply as far in advance as possible. Otherwise, you could be running up against a deadline that you won’t be able to meet. Get in touch with USCIS at least 45 days before your family visa is set to expire just to be safe. You can find the date of your visa’s expiration on Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record. The date will be in the lower right-hand corner of this form.

Find Out Your Eligibility

When you get in touch with USCIS, you need to inquire about your eligibility to extend your family visa. As long as your visa is valid, you haven’t committed any crimes, your passport is valid and will remain so, and you haven’t violated the rules of your admission into the U.S., then you might be able to extend your visa.

Fill Out Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status

At least 45 days before your stay expires, fill out and send in Form I-539 to USCIS. You can file Form I-539 on USCIS’s website. If you’re applying as part of a family, then you can apply together and pay only one fee or file individually and pay a fee for each separate application.

Once you file this form, you’ll receive a notice from USCIS confirming that they have received your application. You may receive a notice for biometric services, a notice to come in for an interview, and notice informing you of their decision. You can use their fee calculator to see how much you’ll need to pay.

Types of Visas That Cannot Be Extended

USCIS lists a number of different types of visas that cannot be extended, so you’ll want to check this list before you apply.

  • Visa Waiver Program
  • Crew member (D nonimmigrant visa)
  • In transit through the United States (C nonimmigrant visa)
  • In transit through the United States without a visa (TWOV)
  • Fiancé of a U.S. citizen or dependent of a fiancé (K nonimmigrant visa)
  • Informant (and accompanying family) on terrorism or organized crime (S nonimmigrant visa)

What Happens If You Stay Past the Expiration Date?

If you stay past your visa’s expiration date without renewing it, you could be barred from coming to the U.S. for up to 10 years depending on the period of your overstay. You could also have your visa canceled or taken away from you.

Additionally, you’ll need to make sure to follow the guidelines of your stay as well as all the laws in the United States. Breaking the law and not following the rules could affect your visa status as well.

If you’re struggling to extend your family visa or need some more information on U.S. immigration, make sure you get in touch with a Florida immigration attorney today.

Contact a Florida Immigration Attorney

Do you have questions about extending your family visa in Florida? Then contact Florida Immigration Law Counsel through our website or by calling 1-800-666-4996. We deal with the government so you don’t have to. We look forward to assisting you.

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Attorney Saman Movassaghi, Esq.

Caring and compassionate, Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez is a Florida immigration attorney dedicated to producing the results her clients need. She has over 17 years of experience helping both corporate and individual clients with an emphasis in employment/investment cases and family adjustment cases.

As the Managing Attorney at Florida Immigration Law Counsel, Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez and her team are capable of representing and helping individuals looking to attain a Family VisaWork Visa, and Citizenship/Naturalization. Her experience successfully representing clients in front of the Department of Justice for cases involving Deportation/Removal Proceedings will lead to success in your case.

Her experience and expertise in immigration litigation has led to multiple Avvo awards and other accolades, including the Clients’ Choice for 2017 Immigration Attorney. Her clients also consistently post positive reviews on her Facebook page. Her experience has also allowed her to teach a new generation of lawyers as an adjunct professor of law at Nova Southeastern University, and she also regularly gives speeches on immigration matters.

Counselor Gonzalez is also experienced in helping corporate clients through the process of filing for Employment Visas, Labor Certifications, and Business and Investment Visas with the Department of Labor. She takes on the entire case from start to finish, simplifying the process for her clients and allowing them to focus on their business.

Fluent in English, Spanish, and Farsi – Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez is dedicated to making her clients feel comfortable and assured in making her their go-to immigration attorney in Florida. Her goal is to ensure that those who want to live the American dream have a professional fighting for them and making the process as painless as possible.

Saman’s passion for immigration law stems from her personal life as the daughter of immigrants. Her parents were recipients of the student F1 visa in 1971. Her father came into this country with the goal to improve his life and the life of his children. He earned a PhD in Civil Engineering and Business, instilling in his daughter a strong work ethic that she carries to this day. Saman saw firsthand what it means to be an immigrant and achieve the American Dream.

Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez can personally understand the struggle of immigrants and the children of immigrants navigating through the bureaucratic process of immigration law. Because of this, she dedicates herself fully and provides her personal attention to every case. She prides herself on developing a strong relationship with each and every client, and she is not afraid of pushing the envelope and looking for answers where other attorneys have failed.

Saman Movassaghi makes it her goal to provide you with only the best representation for immigration matters because she believes it’s time for you to live the American dream!