Family Immigration Attorney Elgin

Family Immigration Attorney Elgin

For immigrants, the right to enter the United States is one of the most important legal rights they will ever enforce. Family sponsor immigration helps families stay together while lawfully working and living in the United States. Our family immigration attorneys in Elgin can help you find the right visas for your family members. Below are the common types of visas that family members can sponsor to help their relatives lawfully enter the United States.

Immediate Relative Visa

Immediate relative visas can be easier to obtain than other family visas because they are not limited by annual quotas. These visas are, however, limited to only immediate relatives of a United States citizen. Eligible family members include: 

• Spouses
• An unmarried child under the age of 21
• A foreign orphan that has been (or will be) adopted by a U.S. citizen
• Parents of U.S. citizens who are at least 21 years old 

Family Preference Visa

Family preference visas are limited by annual quotas. In spite of this restriction, these visas are available to a wider range of relatives, so this can open up the possibility of immigration for family members who are not immediate relatives. Family preference visas are available to:

• Unmarried children of U.S. citizens who are under the age of 21
• Spouses and children (under the age of 21 and unmarried) of lawful permanent residents 
• Married children of U.S. citizens
• Siblings of U.S. citizens who are at least 21 years old

Family preference visas are designated into preference categories. The higher your category, the sooner you will be eligible for a visa, so it is important to work with an immigration lawyer to be sure that you apply for the highest eligible preference category. 

Fiance(e) Visa

U.S. citizens can also sponsor a K-1 fiance(e) visa in order to bring a foreign fiance into the United States for the purpose of marriage. A K-1 visa requires the couple to be married within 90 days of the foreign fiance’s entry into the country. If they do not, the fiance will no longer have lawful immigration status in this country. Unmarried children of the foreign fiance who are younger than 21 may also be allowed to enter the country on a K-2 visa. This, too, is only valid if the parent marries the citizen who sponsored the visa within 90 days of entering the country. Once the couple is married, a child who holds a K-2 visa can apply for a green card, but only if he or she remains unmarried.  

Experienced Immigration Attorneys For All Elgin Families

The Elgin immigration lawyers at Minsky, McCormick & Hallagan have helped many families obtain visas in order to work on long-term immigration plans (such as a lawful permanent residence). With the proper visa, green card, or citizenship, your family can stay together under the protection of the law. Our experienced immigration attorneys help families exercise their legal rights in order to stay together. Contact us to schedule a consultation with an experienced immigration attorney as soon as possible.