Chicago Family Immigration Attorney

Compassionately 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 the Legal Services of an Experienced 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 Legal Issues Fall Under Family Immigration Law?

There is no “typical” family immigration situation. While American immigration law is complex, it’s also fairly broad when it comes to who qualifies as “family.” That’s why it’s possible to seek United States 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 immigration 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 immigration 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
• Deportation defense
• Waivers of inadmissibility or other eligibility issues
• Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) 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.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Family-Based Green Cards?

The first step in obtaining a green card for eligible family members is to file the proper petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This petition is known as Form I-130. The form requires you to provide your information, the information of the foreign national beneficiary, and information on the family relationship between you two. Additionally, the sponsor will be required to prove their United States citizenship or status of legal permanent residence.

The sponsor is required to provide an affidavit establishing that they will be financially responsible for the foreign national immigrant. The foreign national will also be required to undergo background screenings and health exams.

After determining eligibility and filing the appropriate petition, you must wait for the USCIS to review it and notify you of its decision. For some family categories, the applicant and their sponsor must wait until a visa becomes available in the Department of State visa bulletin.

If the foreign national is already in the United States, they will file for an adjustment of status. If, however, the family member is outside of the United States, they will file for an immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.

As part of the interview process, the foreign family members must attend a biometrics appointment, where they will be asked to provide fingerprints, photos, and handwritten signatures. Then, an immigration officer interviews the foreign family members to verify their eligibility to immigrate to the United States. The foreign national family member will receive their green card or immigrant visa if approved.

For legal assistance on your immigration journey, please contact our Chicago Law Offices to speak with our legal team. We have extensive experience helping United States citizens and permanent residents sponsor foreign nationals in family-based immigration cases. We understand that there may be many immigration issues related to those seeking to obtain citizenship or a green card, and we would be proud to provide dedicated immigration support. To learn more about our immigration legal services, please schedule a free consultation with our law firm today.

Who is Eligible to Sponsor a Family Member for a Green Card?

To be eligible to sponsor a foreign family member, the petitioner must meet several basic requirements. These include providing proof of sufficient financial support to ensure that the foreign immigrant does not become a public burden, demonstrating close family relationships, and establishing status as either a lawful permanent resident or a United States citizen.

Immediate relatives can obtain immigrant visas designed to help close relatives of United States citizens come to America. These visas are typically reserved for the spouses, unmarried children under age 21, and the parents of the US citizen petitioner.

The family preference category has a limited number of immigration visas available every year. These visas can be used for other family members, such as lawful permanent resident spouses and unmarried children.

For legal help understanding the complexities of sponsoring a foreign-born national to come to the United States, we encourage you to work with Chicago immigration lawyers. The experienced immigration lawyer of our legal team would be proud to assist you in pursuing your immigration goals, whether you are seeking a visa for an immediate relative or through the family preference category. To learn more about the benefits of immigration law representation, please contact our law firm to discuss your case in a free case review today.

What Are Family Preference Immigrant Visas?

Family preference immigrants include the eligible relatives of certain lawful permanent residents and U.S. citizens who do not qualify as immediate family members.

Relatives are divided into the following family preference categories:

• First preference: unmarried children over the age of 21 of United States citizens
• Second preference F2A: spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21 of lawful permanent residence
• Second preference F2B: unmarried adult sons and daughters over the age of 21 of legal permanent residents
• Third preference: the married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
• Fourth preference: siblings of United States citizens, provided the citizen petitioner is at least 21 years old

Limited visa availability for family preference immigrant visas means that applicants may have to wait an extended period to obtain their green cards. The length of the wait will vary depending on the family preference category, the country of origin, and the number of visas available in an individual year.

What Are Immigration Appeals?

If the USCIS denies your family-based green card application, you have the opportunity to appeal the decision made by immigration officers.

The denial notice specifies the reasons for the official denial. It provides instructions on how to make an immigration appeal, usually by filing form I-290B, the notice of appeal or motion.

When seeking to appeal the decisions made by immigration courts, it is highly recommended that you work with experienced immigration Attorneys. Our law firm has years of experience arguing complex immigration cases in immigration courts and would be proud to represent your interests in the pursuit of the most optimal outcome for your case. To learn more about our legal services and how we can represent you in immigration court, please contact our Chicago law firm to schedule your free initial case evaluation today.

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 to Discuss Your Case in More Detail 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.