Q. I have lived here 30 years without legal status. How can I get a green card? I came here at 9 years of age. When President Obama began the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, I was already over 31, so I didn't qualify. Where can I find free legal services to help me get legal status?

Jose M., Manhattan

A. You may not qualify for legal status, but you should nevertheless consult with an immigration law expert. Unless you have a parent or spouse who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, your options are limited. However, only an expert can tell you for sure.

Many organizations have developed expertise in immigration law screenings. A “screening” is a consultation designed to explore every possible way that an undocumented immigrant could qualify for legal status. To get a free screening in New York City, call 311 and ask for ActionNYC. Throughout New York State, readers can get help by calling the NYS Office of New Americans' Hotline, (800) 566-7636. To get a free immigration law screening online, try Immi.org.

Getting married sends woman to the back of the green card line

Q. I applied for asylum as a stateless person when I was in the United States but I left before U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services made a decision on my application. I am now living in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Can I renew my asylum claim from here?

Name withheld, Dhaka, Bangladesh

A. You can't get asylum — that status is only for people in the United States. To return to the United States based on fear of persecution, you would need to enter as a refugee.

If you have “firmly resettled” in your current country of residence, you don't qualify for refugee status. Refugee law considers you firmly resettled in a third country if that country has offered all the rights and benefits of a permanent resident or citizen of that country.

Allan Wernick is an attorney and director of the City University of New York's Citizenship Now! project. Send questions and comments to Allan Wernick, New York Daily News, 4 New York Plaza, New York, N.Y., 10004 or email to questions@allanwernick.com. Follow him on Twitter @awernick.

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