Immigration Lawyer in Boston, Massachusetts

Law Offices of Brian T. O'Neill

33 Union Street
Third Floor
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
USA

(617) 722-4000

(617) 523-7837

www.btolaw.com

Contact Brian T. O'Neill, Jr

Law Firm Overview

At the Law Offices of Brian T. O'Neill, we understand the intense pressures some of our clients feel, as well as fear and anxious moments they experience when faced with immigration related consequences. Our lawyers work diligently to work with our clients and understand each client's personal needs and objectives for the future. By understanding our clients, we can plan a strategic plan of action and available immigration relief and waiver options.

We know that many of our clients have difficulty understanding and trusting the Federal Immigration System provided in the United States or lack confidence in the legal system or the expense involved. The Law Office of Brian T. O'Neill provides legal immigration services at a reasonable and affordable price. We process all types of immigration matters for clients throughout the world. We welcome clients from multiple backgrounds and offer professional, honest and reliable service, as well as immediate same day phone or in person access to our immigration staff. We encourage you to protect your immigration rights by talking to an immigration lawyer who can truly understand the complexities of the Immigration System, agencies involves, and communication with clients and immigration officials. Our objective is to help you achieve your immigration goal while protecting your rights and legal options.

Dealing with Immigration is complicated. At the Law Offices of Brian T. O'Neill, our attorneys only handle Immigration Law Matters. You can be assured that our team has the most up to date immigration knowledge and understanding of the immigration rules and regulations to handle your case. Our office is located directly behind the local District Office of the US Citizenship & Immigration Service in Government Center, the Historical District, downtown Boston, MA.

Year this Office was Established: 1971

Languages: Spanish; French; Portuguese; English.

Practice Areas

Additional Practice Areas: Marriage, Conditional Residency Waivers & Divorce; Removal, Deportation Defense, Criminal Convictions, Defense & Waivers; Inspections and Admissions; Immigration Appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) & Administrative Appeals Office (AAO); Motions to Re-open & Reconsider; Federal Circuit Court Immigration Litigation; Passports & Renewals; Benefits under Special Programs.

Practice Areas Description

Our services include:

- Non-immigrant Visas

What types of visas are available for Temporary Visitors? The short answer is too many. The more informative answer, is to provide the various types of nonimmigrant temporary visa for visitors to travel to the USA, if a non-US citizen or Lawful permanent resident of the USA. The purpose of the intended travel will determine what type of visa is required pursuant to the US Immigration and Nationality Act regulations. It is critical for any applicant to have specific information about the types of nonimmigrant visa required for travel to the USA and the required steps to apply for the nonimmigrant visa with a US Consulate outside the USA.

- Immigration Visas / Green Card

* Employment Based Green Cards

For you or a family member to obtain an employment based Green Card, a foreign national must be sponsored or eligible for a Green Card through Employment. The Law Office of Brian T. O’Neill can counsel you and the employer through the Employment Based Stages of the Employment Based Green Card process. Generally, in order to qualify for an employment based Green Card, you must be sponsored by an employer through the Labor Certification process.

* Family Based Green Cards

For you or a family member to obtain a family based Green Card, a foreign national must be sponsored by a US Citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. Only certain family members are eligible. The Law Office of Brian T. O’Neill can counsel you or a family member through a Family Based Green Card process.

* Green Card Renewals

Green Cards are valid for up to 10 years. Although green cards have expiration dates, the permanent residency status of the person never expires. Once a person has been granted Permanent Residency status, such cannot be removed unless the green card holder voluntarily gives it up or acts in a way that is contrary to the purpose of the green card. It is important to keep the card up to date and could affect your ability to travel or to prove your ability to work in the USA.

* Marriage Based Green Card

Lawful Permanent Residents who got married before obtaining a green Card are not required to file an Immigrant Family Petition on behalf of their spouse (or any children born before becoming a Lawful Permanent resident). A spouse and eligible children of a lawful Permanent resident in this category may apply for a green card without having an approved Immigrant Petition. This Process is known as ‘accompanying’ or ‘following to join.’ Lawful Permanent Residents who have adjusted to Lawful permanent Resident status in the USA must file for an Action on a previously Approved Petition in order to Notify the US Consulate that the foreign national spouse will ‘accompany’ or ‘follow to join’.

- Lawful permanent residents applying for U.S. Citizenship & Naturalization

If you are eighteen (18) years or older, our firm can counsel and guide clients through the U.S. Citizenship & Naturalization process. You must be a permanent resident with a valid green card for a period of the past 5 years. If married to the US Citizen, you may apply after 3 years with a valid green card. One exception, you may have served in the US Armed forces during a war, and as a result you may obtain US Citizenship without first becoming a permanent resident. US Citizenship requires maintaining continuous residence in the USA for at least 5 years, immediately preceding the filing of citizenship. Continuous residency is not the same as being physically present in the USA. You must maintain status as a legal permanent resident/green card holder, but you do not necessarily need to be physically in the USA.

- Employer Sanctions, Raids & Audits

The US Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) has initiated a strategic shift in the way it approaches enforcement of the immigration laws. In light of the increase enforcement of both civil and criminal immigration laws, as well as the amended sentencing guidelines and heightened executive responsibilities, employers should ensure that their codes of conduct and immigration compliance policies are capable of providing maximum protection for their organization. The Law Office of Brian T O’Neill can provide the tools you need to make the most informed decisions about Federal Employment Worksite Compliance programs, ICE investigations, raids, I-9 worksite audits, civil and criminal penalties and violations, etc.

- Removal & Deportation Defense

If you face a removal hearing and the possibility of deportation, we may be able to help you. At the Law Office of Brian T O’Neill, we defend clients aggressively in removal proceeding and immigration court hearings with all relevant defense tactics, including cancellation of removal, applications for waivers, elimination of consequences for criminal convictions, filing for adjustment of status, withholding of deportation or protection under the Convention against Torture, etc. We can provide the tools you need to make the most informed decisions about Removal Proceedings, available forms of relief, and strategic plans of action.

- Inspections, Admissions and Exams

All persons arriving at a port of entry to the USA are subject to inspection by a US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer. CBP officers will conduct the immigration, customs and agriculture components of the inspection process. The legal foundation that requires the inspection of all persons arriving in the USA comes from the Immigration & Nationality Act (INA), section 235. The rules are incorporated into the Code of federal Regulations (CFR) at 8 CFR section 235. The Law Office of Brian T. O’Neill can assist you if you have complications with the Inspection and Admission process to the USA.

- Motions to Re-open and Reconsider

Motions to re-open and reconsider may be made before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), an Immigration Judge (IJ), District Director (DD) or the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO). Such matters fall within the jurisdiction of the Executive Office for Immigration Review(EOIR), which is a separate organization from the Immigration Service. The Motion to re-open can always be barred or denied by the agencies listed above. The motion to re-open or reconsider does not result in a stay, this can only be sought from an Immigration Judge, the Board of Immigration Appeals or a District Director. The attorneys in this office have handled these types of cases.

- Immigration Appeals before the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) & Administrative Appeals Office (AAO)

The Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) is the appellate body that reviews decisions from the Immigration Court. In some cases this board will review decisions from the Citizenship and Immigration Service. The Board of Immigration Appeals is part of the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). The Board of Immigration Appeals has jurisdiction to hear final decisions and determinations from Immigration Judges on a variety of matters. Most board decisions are made by a panel of three judges, however, single board members are allowed to make decisions on certain motions due to the large volume of cases pending. The attorneys in this office handle appeals made to this board.

- Other Legal Immigration

* Federal Circuit Court Immigration Litigation

It is critical to have experienced immigration counsel for matters before the Federal Court and the Executive Office of Immigration Review (i.e. Immigration Court), US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and US Customs Enforcement (ICE), Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA); Processing and/or proceedings at Pre-flight inspections, consulates and ports of entry. Federal court litigation can also challenge the Unlawful Detention of someone held in immigration custody. In limited cases, litigation can commence to challenge an order of removal/deportation.

* Passports & Renewals

The Law Office of Brian T O’Neill can provide the tools you need to make the most informed decisions about applying for a US Passport, renewal or replacement. Find out how the process works, what timing and considerations are involved, what forms and supporting exhibits must be submitted before submitting a Passport request.

* Benefits under Special Programs (Humanitarian Protection, Abuse Prevention, Country Specific Programs, and other permanent resident programs)

At the Law offices of Brian T. O’Neill, we help immigrants qualify for benefits under special programs. Some of the programs like Asylum or NACARA, allow our clients to move directly to permanent resident status. Others such as Temporary Protected Status, offer only short term benefits. A temporary visa, however, can often protect you from deportation, allow you to work legally in the USA and become a springboard to earning green cards for you and your family. Even if you never heard of certain programs, at the Law offices of Brian T. O’Neill, were ready to evaluate your eligibility and guide you through any program which provides benefits to you and your family.