Family-Based Immigration

Chicago Family Based Immigration Attorneys

When you live in the United States, your family members may want to come and join you from their foreign home country. Immigration laws in the U.S. do provide ways for families to be united and live together in the U.S. if they meet certain criteria and obtain the necessary immigration documents. If anyone comes to into the country to live with family members without going through the proper immigration steps, they risk being detained and being subject to removal or deportation proceedings.

At the Chicago law firm of Lopez & Sanchez, we work with family members to ensure that they can lawfully come to the U.S. to live together. If you have any questions about family-based immigration, please do not hesitate to contact our office today.

Options for Family Members

In order for a family member to join you in the U.S., you can petition for certain family members to obtain visas. There are two main types of visas available:

Immediate relative visas – Applies to the following relatives of U.S. citizens

• Spouse;
• Parents (if the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old);
• Unmarried children younger than 21 years old;
• Orphan being adopted by a U.S. citizen.

There are no restrictions on how many immediate relative visas can be issued each year.

Family preference visas – If you and your relatives do not fit into any of the above categories, there are still options for you to be united in the U.S. The following may apply for family preference visas:

• Spouse of legal permanent residents (LPRs);
• Children of LPRs who are minors or unmarried and older;
• Married children of U.S. citizens, along with their immediate families;
• Siblings of adult U.S. citizens, along with their minor children.

These visas are limited and there is often a waiting period to obtain one. If your application and supporting documentation is incomplete or inaccurate in any way, it can delay the process even more. It is essential to have a knowledgeable immigration attorney guiding you through the application process to ensure you do not experience any unnecessary delays.

There can be other complications when trying to obtain family-based visas, including a family member being declared inadmissible and needing a waiver. We can help you to overcome any possible obstacles that may arise in your case. Finally, we can also help family members who already have visas determine if they are eligible to apply for green cards.

Discuss Your Situation With Our Chicago Immigration Lawyers Today

Our team at Lopez & Sanchez is committed to doing anything in our power to help unite you and your family and keep you together. We will explore every possible option to obtain the necessary documents for your family members to lawfully enter and remain in the U.S. It is essential to start the immigration process as soon as possible, as it can take time to obtain the proper visas. Please contact our Chicago immigration attorneys to discuss how we can help you.

Contact us If you have any type of immigration concerns, please contact our office to speak with a skilled Chicago immigration attorney for a consultation today.