Chicago Family Immigration Lawyer
Helping Immigrants and Their Loved Ones Stay Together in America
America’s immigration system is one of the most complex in the world. In fact, the Cato Institute recently released a report titled, Why Legal Immigration Is Nearly Impossible. Unless a person has an immediate relative with lawful permanent residency or American citizenship, coming to the country is incredibly difficult. Unfortunately, there are also many hurdles in the way of those who do have family in the United States. With so many challenges present, it’s often ideal to work with a Chicago family immigration lawyer.
At Gilliam Law, our team of experienced legal professionals helps clients with family-based immigration every day. Whether someone wants their fiancé to begin the path to citizenship, get a green card for their family member, or simply financially sponsor a loved one — our law firm has the knowledge to assist in the process. The important thing to remember is that there are many paths to legally immigrating to America, and we can help you decide what’s right in your situation.
Contact Gilliam Law today to schedule your Free Case Evaluation.
Do You Need an Immigration Attorney?
Many people expect family-based immigration to be a straightforward process. After all, don’t you only need to file a Petition for Alien Relative (Form I-130) and wait? You can now do much of your own research online, and with family preference categories, it seems that even non-immediate relatives can come to America when their green card holding or American citizen relatives petition on their behalf. Unfortunately, the Cato Institute was right when it called legal immigration “nearly impossible” — particularly for those without a Chicago family immigration attorney.
Just consider some of the problems that a U.S. citizen or green card holder can experience when trying to bring a sibling, spouse, parent, and other loved ones to America:
- Visa backlogs and waiting times
- Strict and burdensome eligibility criteria
- Documentation requirements
- Evidence that financial support is available
- Overcoming issues of inadmissibility
- Challenges with consular processing outside the United States
- Immigration authorities concerned with marriage fraud
- Sudden and unexpected changes in immigration policy
- The potential for children to “age out” while waiting for visa numbers
- Complex family structures and eligibility
- Public charge concerns
- Travel and re-entry issues
- Undocumented loved ones whose status can complicate family reunification
At Gilliam Law, our family immigration lawyers in Chicago see clients dealing with such issues daily. For those without legal representation, these hurdles can be disheartening enough to just give up. This is one of the many reasons America has so many undocumented immigrants. Unfortunately, bringing loved ones to the United States outside of legal channels can make it more difficult for them to ever gain legal status. That’s why it’s important to consider working with a legal professional.
Whether you have an adopted child, a long-lost brother, a grandparent from the old country, or are in any other scenario where bringing a loved one to America is your goal, the professionals at Gilliam Law are here to help.
What Issues Fall Under Family Immigration Law?
There is no “typical” family immigration situation. While American law is complex, it’s also fairly broad when it comes to who qualifies as “family.” That’s why it’s possible to seek citizenship for anyone from minor children to adult unmarried sons and daughters. If you believe your situation is unlike any other, there’s a good chance that you’re right. However, this doesn’t mean your case is impossible or too challenging. Chicago family immigration lawyers can offer assistance in any situation you may be in.
In fact, it’s not uncommon for a law office to provide services in each of the following areas:
- Family sponsorship
- Fiancée visas
- Adjustment of status
- Consular processing
- Conditional residency removal
- Marriage-based immigration
- Child, orphan, and adoption immigration
- Waivers of inadmissibility or other eligibility issues
- Violence Against Women Act (VOWA) and U Visas
- Petitions for relatives
- Naturalization assistance
- Family unity
This list is relatively extensive, but it’s not necessarily exhaustive. The complexity of American immigration laws means legal professionals in this field are constantly dealing with different case types. However, immigration law is all we practice at Gilliam Law. That means you’re getting a legal team whose primary focus is keeping families together and helping clients obtain legal residency in America. Contact us today for your Free Case Evaluation.
Do You Qualify for DACA or Other Relief?
When providing consultations to potential clients, we’re often asked about Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). While this is an option for some people, it’s important to realize that better approaches are often available. Many people don’t know it, but DACA doesn’t provide legal status. In fact, eligible individuals remain undocumented and merely defer deportation for a period of time. When our Chicago family immigration lawyer is asked about DACA, though, it provides an opportunity to discuss other options.
For instance, it’s often the case that immediate relative visas are available. And when this isn’t an option, there are a variety of family preference visas that can bring distant family members to America. It’s also possible for romantic partners to secure a K-1 Visa, and other relatives can enter on K-3 or K-4 Visas while awaiting approval of visa petitions. For those who are already in the country, an adjustment of status may be possible. You could also potentially bring loved ones into the country if they are the victim of a crime, seeking asylum, or if they faced abuse.
All of this is merely to say that a variety of options are available. A Chicago family immigration attorney can review your unique situation and help you understand all your options. Even if you think legal immigration is unlikely, our law firm may be able to help. Contact us today.
Contact a Chicago Family Immigration Lawyer Today
One of the easiest ways to become a green card holder or American citizen is to be related to a permanent resident or current citizen. However, even this process holds a variety of challenges — and many families end up separated or undocumented because of the complexities. Unfortunately, it’s often the case that people simply don’t understand all their options. For instance, it’s not common knowledge that family preference rules allow for sponsoring individuals who don’t qualify as immediate family.
This is just one of the many nuances of American law, and it’s something that a Chicago family immigration lawyer can help you better understand. At Gilliam Law, our legal team will review your case and identify the optimal legal process to bring or keep your family together. We understand that this is a stressful process, and it’s likely that you’ve dealt with burdens even before beginning this difficult journey. Fortunately, you don’t have to go through this alone.
At Gilliam Law, we’re here to help. Contact us today at (866) 511-3422 for your Free Case Evaluation.
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