Basic Immigration Law
This document contains basic information about immigration law in the United States, answering the following questions: Where do U.S. immigration laws come from? What agencies administer U.S. immigration laws? Who gets U.S. citizenship? What are the immigration rules that allow non-citizens allowed to be in the U.S.? What are the ways that a non-citizen can immigrate to the U.S.? How can you change your legal status under U.S. immigration law? How do non-citizens lose their immigration status? How do you become a U.S. Citizen? Once you become a naturalized U.S. citizen, can you lose that status? The document is excerpted from An Introduction to Law in Georgia, Fourth Edition, published by the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, 1998 (updated 2004).
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
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Spanish / Español
Immigrants and Employment
(Separate Website)
This link includes articles about immigrants and employment originally published in the National Immigration Law Center newsletter.
By: National Immigration Law Center
Immigrants? Eligibility for Unemployment Compensation
(Separate Website)
Fact sheet for immigrant worker advocates. This NELP fact sheet thoroughly explains eligibility requirements for immigrant workers in order to receive unemployment insurance benefits. Please consult an attorney to get an evaluation of your claims. The document is PDF format.
By: National Employment Law Project (NELP)
Immigration Basics - Overview
(Separate Website)
This web page explains basic information about immigration classifications in the United States and describes the process for adjusting your classification.
By: The American Immigration Law Foundation
Immigration Basics - Permanent Residence
(Separate Website)
If you want to live permanently in the United States, you have to be sponsored for an immigrant visa by a close family member who is a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident (Ògreen card holderÓ), or you can be sponsored by a U.S. employer who wants to hire you on a permanent full-time basis. The process to obtain an immigrant visa is highly regulated. Having a family member or an employer sponsor is only one part of the immigrant visa process. U.S. immigration laws for the immigrant visa application process include numerous requirements. If you came to the U.S. illegally, or if you have ever been arrested, or if you have ever worked without authorization from the immigration service or remained in the U.S. beyond a departure date, or if you have ever failed to tell the truth when applying for a U.S. visa, you should consult with a lawyer before applying for an immigrant visa.
By: The American Immigration Law Foundation
Immigration Status and Your Rights as a Worker
(Separate Website)
Overview of the ways in which immigration status may affect a worker's labor and employment rights. The document is PDF format.
By: National Employment Law Project (NHELP)
Beware of Dishonest Immigrant Consultants
(Separate Website)
Recent immigrants who don't speak English fluently are easy prey for dishonest people who pretend to help them. This brochure, by the National Consumer Law Center helps you protect yourself against dishonest immigrant consultants.
By: National Consumer Law Center
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Chinese / 中文
,
Korean / 한국어
,
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Electronic Visa Application Forms
(Separate Website)
Welcome to the Electronic Visa Application Forms Instructions Page. Forms available on this page can be filled out on-line and assist in the processing of your application.
By: U.S. Department of State
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Spanish / Español
Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Compliance Assistance
(Separate Website)
The Immigration and Nationality act sets forth the conditions for the temporary employment of Aliens in the United States. This web site contains the laws, regulations and compliance guides for employers hiring immigrants in the U.S.
By: U.S. Department of Labor
Foreign Labor Certification
(Separate Website)
Hiring foreign workers for employment in the U.S. normally requires approval from several government agencies. Certain visa categories first require employers to seek labor certification through the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Once the application is certified (approved), the employer must petition the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (BCIS) for a visa. Approval by DOL does not guarantee a visa issuance. The Department of State (DOS) will issue a visa number to the foreign worker for U.S. entry. Applicants must also establish that they are admissible to the U.S. under the provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). This site provides information to assist an employer in preparing a labor certification application in any one of the several employment-based visa programs.
By: U.S. Department of Labor
Foreign Workers and Social Security Numbers
(Separate Website)
Are you temporarily in the United States to work? If you are, your employer will ask for your Social Security number. Social Security numbers are used to report your wages to the government. Social Security numbers can be assigned to foreign workers who are authorized to work in the United States.
By: Social Security Administration
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Chinese / 中文
,
Creole / Kreyòl
,
Spanish / Español
Individual Taxpayer Identification Number: How can the ITIN be used as an Identifier
(Separate Website)
This guide for immigrant advocates explains the uses of the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) as an alternative to the Social Security Number and outlines areas for advocacy for expanded use of the ITIN as an identifier.
The document is PDF format.
By: National Employment Law Project (NELP)
Social Security No-Match Letters: Questions and Answers for Workers
(Separate Website)
This Q&A addresses frequently asked questions about workers' rights when their employer receives a Social-Security no-match letter. Please consult an attorney to get an evaluation of your claims. The document is PDF format.
By: National Employment Law Project (NELP)
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Spanish / Español
Supplemental Security Income for Non-Citizens
(Separate Website)
This document answers the following questions:
(1) Who can get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? (2) What are credits of work? (3) What is proof of your status? (4) What is the seven-year limit for some noncitizens? (5) Information about Medicaid, (6) Filing a new claim if you have a sponsor, (7) Social Security numbers, (8) Becoming a citizen.
By: Social Security Administration
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Chinese / 中文
,
Spanish / Español
What is the Individual Tax Identification Number (ITIN) and How Do You Get One?
(Separate Website)
This document explains in brief the Individual Tax Identification Number and how a worker can apply for one. The document is PDF format.
By: National Employment Law Project (NELP)
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Spanish / Español
Enforcement of Federal Laws Related to Payment of Wages
(Separate Website)
The Department of Labor enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets basic minimum wage and overtime pay standards. In addition to the FLSA, the DOL Wage and Hour Division enforces other labor laws related to wage payment. The web site also contains information on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Immigration Act of 1990, relating to immigrants working under HB-1 visas.
By: U.S. Department of Labor
Farmworkers' Rights
Farmworkers rights manual for non-H2A farwmorkers (i.e. US Citizens and legal permanent residents, and others who are not temporary imported workers).
By: Georgia Legal Services Program
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Spanish / Español
Household Workers
(Separate Website)
If you hire someone to work in your home, such as a cleaning person, a cook, a gardener or a baby sitter, both you and your employee should know about paying Social Security and Medicare taxes. Your household employee may be eligible for Social Security and Medicare some day?if you deduct Social Security and Medicare taxes from his or her wages, pay the taxes to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and report the wages to the Social Security Administration.
By: Social Security Administration
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Chinese / 中文
,
Polish / polski
,
Spanish / Español
Immigration Status and Your Rights as a Worker
(Separate Website)
This fact sheet, for workers, gives an overview of the ways in which immigration status may affect worker's labor and employment rights. Please consult an attorney to get an evaluation of your claims. The document is PDF format.
By: National Employment Law Project (NELP)
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Spanish / Español
Know Your Rights at Home and at Work
(Separate Website)
Learn about your rights as an immigrant.
By: National Immigration Law Center
Know Your Rights on the Job Q & A A publication by the National Council of La Raza
to help safeguard Latinos in the workplace, Know Your Rights on the Job Q & A. The format of the Q & A is designed to educate Latino employees on their rights and how to combat common forms of discrimination often experienced by this group.
By: Georgia Legal Services Program
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Spanish / Español
Minimum Wage Facts
(Separate Website)
Questions and answers about the federal minimum wage.
By: U.S. Department of Labor
Rights Begin at Home: Protecting Yourself as a Domestic Worker
(Separate Website)
This handbook informs domestic workers about their rights under the law and offers advice on how to improve their wages and working conditions. Please consult an attorney to get an evaluation of your claims. The document is PDF format.
By: National Employment Law Project (NELP)
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Learn about the Rights of Undocumented Immigrants
(Separate Website)
This presentation was developed as part of the Law and Government Education Project in the Institute of Government at the University of Georgia. In partnership with the Law School and the Center for Teaching and Learning at UGA and the Law School at Mercer University, the Institute develops resources on basic areas of Georgia and federal law. These resources are then distributed across the state in a variety of ways including the State Bar of Georgia?s Pro Bono Project website. We hope you will find this presentation to be useful and informative. Please be advised, however, that this presentation is designed to provide general information only and does not substitute for legal advice. At the conclusion of the presentation you will find a list of organizations which may be able to provide assistance to those who have legal issues relevant to the topic of this presentation. We encourage viewers to contact these organizations for help. Also, please consult the Pro Bono Project website for a list of other presentations available for viewing.
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
Learn about the Types of Immigration status
(Separate Website)
This presentation was developed as part of the Law and Government Education Project in the Institute of Government at the University of Georgia. In partnership with the Law School and the Center for Teaching and Learning at UGA and the Law School at Mercer University, the Institute develops resources on basic areas of Georgia and federal law. These resources are then distributed across the state in a variety of ways including the State Bar of Georgia?s Pro Bono Project website. We hope you will find this presentation to be useful and informative. Please be advised, however, that this presentation is designed to provide general information only and does not substitute for legal advice. At the conclusion of the presentation you will find a list of organizations which may be able to provide assistance to those who have legal issues relevant to the topic of this presentation. We encourage viewers to contact these organizations for help. Also, please consult the Pro Bono Project website for a list of other presentations available for viewing.
By: Carl Vinson Institute of Government, University of Georgia
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