A GREEN CARD PATH FOR CUBAN NATIONALS
Cuban Adjustment Act Lawyers
One year and one day, and a path that few other nationals have.
The Cuban Adjustment Act gives Cuban natives and citizens a route to a green card that is unavailable to most other immigrants: after being admitted or paroled into the United States and being physically present for one year and one day, many can apply to become lawful permanent residents. As Cuban Adjustment Act lawyers, led by an attorney who is herself the daughter of Cuban immigrants, we guide clients and their families through it, in Spanish and English, across our Boynton Beach, Lake Worth, and Atlanta offices.
OVERVIEW
A law that treats Cuban migration differently.
The Cuban Adjustment Act is a longstanding law that gives Cuban natives and citizens a distinct path to permanent residency. For most immigrants, getting a green card means fitting into a family or employment category and often waiting in a long line. The Cuban Adjustment Act works differently: a Cuban national who was admitted or paroled into the United States and has been physically present for at least one year and one day can generally apply to adjust status to lawful permanent resident, without needing a separate sponsor or an available visa number in the usual way.
It is one of the most favorable provisions in U.S. immigration law for any single group. But "favorable" does not mean automatic. The case still has to be documented correctly, the physical-presence clock has to be counted properly, and the manner of entry has to be established with the right evidence. Getting those details right is where a Cuban Adjustment Act lawyer makes the difference between a clean approval and an avoidable problem.
THE CORE REQUIREMENT
Counting the one year and one day.
The heart of a Cuban Adjustment Act case is physical presence: generally, a Cuban national must have been admitted or paroled into the United States and then physically present here for at least one year and one day before applying to adjust status. That sounds simple, but the counting matters. Time spent outside the country, the exact date your presence began, and how your entry was recorded can all affect when you become eligible and whether your evidence holds up.
We help clients establish the start date of their presence and document it properly, so the one-year-and-one-day requirement is met on paper as clearly as it is met in real life. Applying too early, or with gaps that are not explained, is a common and preventable mistake, and it is exactly the kind of thing we catch before it becomes a problem.
PROVING YOUR ENTRY
How you entered, and how you prove it.
A Cuban Adjustment Act case turns in large part on how you came into the United States. Being paroled in, or otherwise admitted or inspected, is central to eligibility, and you generally have to prove it. The evidence can include your parole document, entry records, and other proof that establishes when and how you were admitted or paroled.
This is one area where recent policy has moved, and where the manner of entry can raise questions that need careful handling. We assemble the parole and inspection evidence, address any gaps, and present the record in the way adjudicators expect to see it. When the paperwork of your entry is missing or unclear, that is not the end of the road. It is a reason to have counsel who knows how to reconstruct and document it.
FAMILY AND NATIONALITY
The law reaches your family, too.
Dual nationality
Holding another nationality in addition to Cuban does not automatically take away the Cuban Adjustment Act path. Being a citizen of another country as well as Cuba can raise questions, but it is not, by itself, a disqualification. We look at your specific nationality situation and document it so it strengthens your case rather than clouding it.
Spouses and children
One of the most valuable features of the Cuban Adjustment Act is that it can reach a Cuban applicant's spouse and children, even when they are not themselves Cuban, as long as the requirements are met. Keeping a family together on a single, coordinated path is often the whole goal, and it is something we build into the case from the first meeting.
WHY DELGADO PURDY LAW
Counsel who knows this law, and this community.
Jacqueline Delgado
Cuban Adjustment Act cases run into recurring issues: gaps in the physical-presence count, missing or unclear entry documents, questions about the manner of entry, prior immigration or criminal history, and the moving target of current policy. Our founding partner, Jacqueline Delgado, is the daughter of Cuban immigrants and handles these cases in Spanish and English, with the cultural understanding and the legal experience the work calls for. You will always work with senior counsel, and if your situation also involves an immigration court case, this firm handles that side too.
Read Jacqueline's full bio →COMMON QUESTIONS
Questions about the Cuban Adjustment Act.
It is a longstanding U.S. law that gives Cuban natives and citizens a special path to a green card. In general, a Cuban national who was admitted or paroled into the United States and has been physically present for one year and one day can apply to become a lawful permanent resident, without the usual sponsor or visa-number requirements.
It refers to the physical-presence requirement. Generally, you must have been physically present in the United States for at least one year and one day after being admitted or paroled before you can apply to adjust status under the Cuban Adjustment Act. Counting that time correctly, including any trips abroad, is important, which is why documentation matters.
Unlike most green card paths, the Cuban Adjustment Act generally does not require a family or employer sponsor or a separately available visa number in the usual way. That is part of what makes it so favorable. You still have to meet the eligibility requirements and document your case properly.
Manner of entry is central. You generally need to establish that you were paroled in, or otherwise admitted or inspected, using documents such as a parole document and entry records. If those documents are missing or unclear, an attorney can help reconstruct and present the evidence. This is one of the most policy-sensitive parts of a Cuban Adjustment Act case.
Often, yes. The Cuban Adjustment Act can extend to the spouse and children of a qualifying Cuban applicant, even if they are not themselves Cuban, as long as the requirements are met. Coordinating the whole family on one path is a common and important part of these cases.
Possibly. Holding a second nationality does not automatically disqualify you from the Cuban Adjustment Act path, though it can raise questions that need to be addressed with evidence. Bring the details of your nationality situation and we will tell you how it affects your case.
The Cuban Adjustment Act remains the law, but how cases are handled in practice has shifted with changes in parole and entry policy over the years. Because the practical posture can change, we check the current situation with you directly and advise based on the rules in effect for your case rather than on outdated assumptions.
It does not automatically end your case, but it does need careful handling: some criminal or immigration issues can create inadmissibility that has to be addressed, sometimes with a waiver. This is one more reason to have experienced counsel review your full history before you file.
It depends on the complexity of your situation and whether family members are included. We give you a real number after reviewing your case, and the consultation fee is credited to your case if you retain us. You will know the exact figure before you decide anything.
BIENVENIDOS ยท YOU ARE WELCOME HERE
Let's turn one year and one day into a green card.
Schedule a consultation with us. We will count your presence, review how you entered, look at your family, and tell you honestly where your Cuban Adjustment Act case stands, in Spanish or English, with the real timeline and cost before you commit to anything.