Many people in Modesto and the surrounding California communities in the Sacramento Valley may have recently had to submit a petition or some other request to this country’s immigration authorities.

The stakes are often very high with respect to these petitions, as the outcome could be the difference between being allowed to stay in the United States legally and having to leave the country.

It is therefore no wonder that when residents receive word that their immigration petition has been denied, they may experience a sense of panic and may not know what to do. This is particularly true if they filed their petition on their own.

Although a denial is certainly concerning, it is not the end of one’s legal options. Appeals in immigration cases are allowed, although there are important time restrictions within which one must start the process of submitting an appeal. This is one reason why it is so important for those who have had an unfavorable outcome in an immigration matter to speak with an experienced attorney right away.

Our office’s first step is to make sure that our clients understand exactly why their request has been denied. After that, we can help evaluate our client’s legal options so that he or she can make the decision that is in his or her best interests.

Generally speaking, someone facing an adverse immigration decision can choose either to ask the authorities to reconsider their original decision or ask them to reopen the case so that the person can present additional evidence that the immigration court did not have originally.

As a certified immigration specialist, the attorney at our office has helped immigrants from all parts of the world with their important legal matters concerning their status in this country.