Immigration between any two countries may be a complicated process. Even people trying to carefully follow all legal procedures may find themselves caught up in a web of complicated laws. Understanding some of the most common immigration problems can help travelers avoid immigration issues and move through the immigration process as smoothly as possible.
Visa restrictions can be a source of many different immigration problems. Most temporary visas have very clear rules about length of stay permitted or activities allowed. A person on a three month visa might get offered the job opportunity of a lifetime and be denied the chance because his or her visa expires or doesn't permit working within the country. Some countries have a process called “sponsorship” that allows an immigrant to extend or alter their visas if a company within the country of immigration will sponsor his or her stay. Countries may also have skilled-worker visas for people with unusual abilities that are needed in workforce.
With the global community growing closer everyday, international marriages are becoming quite common. One of the most common immigration problems for married couples with different nationalities is being accused of marriage fraud. Many regions make it technically illegal for people to marry for the sole purpose of gaining citizenship; immigration officials may want to interview international couples and review proof of their relationship before granting the non-resident spouse a permanent visa or citizenship.
International couples can also run into immigration problems if they possess dual citizenship but have children in one country. If the family decides to move to the other spouse's home country, the immigration status of the children may come into question. Some countries do grant automatic citizenship to children of citizens, even if they are born and raised elsewhere. As with most of these issues, an immigration lawyer may be the best resource to understand available options.
People who have a criminal history, those who entered the country as illegal immigrants, or those previously deported for immigration issues may have the most trouble with immigration problems. In some cases, people are illegally brought across the border as small children and never seek legal status for fear of discovery and deportation. Some countries do have amnesty programs for certain immigrants who originally entered illegally, but in many regions there is little recourse. Consulting an immigration lawyer may be the best chance to find a path to citizenship in these cases.
