Family Immigration Lawyer Near Me

Family Immigration Lawyer Near Me

If you or your family members are foreign nationals, you have likely experienced the pain of separation during immigration proceedings. The experienced family immigration lawyers near you at Minsky McCormick & Hallagan have worked with many families to establish lawful immigration status. Keeping your family together is one of the most personal legal rights a person has. You don’t have to defend this right against the full force of the United States government on your own. Let our experienced immigration lawyers help navigate the system and protect your family’s immigration rights. 

Immediate Relative Visas

The U.S. Department of State reports that Immediate Relative Visas are available to parents, spouses, and children of United States citizens. The number of these visas are not limited each fiscal year, which makes a big difference for those who are waiting for a visa. But they are only available if your sponsor already has U.S. citizenship. Furthermore, they are only available to close family members. More distant relatives are not eligible for Immediate Relative Visas.

Family Preference Visas

Family Preference Visas are available to a wider range of relatives. In some cases, the sponsor can be a lawful permanent resident instead of a citizen. (Lawful permanent residents can only sponsor a spouse or an unmarried child.) This means that far more applicants are eligible for Family Preference Visas than immediate relative visas. Because of this, the number of Family Preferences is limited to a set quota each fiscal year. 

Fiancé(e) Visas

A fiancé(e) visa is another option for keeping families together. The K-1 nonimmigrant visa is only available to United States citizens who are sponsoring a fiancé(e). Permanent residents cannot sponsor a fiancé(e), and the K-1 visa is not available if you are already married. In addition, you must also meet the following requirements: 

• You plan to marry your fiancé within 90 days of their admission to the United States
• Both you and your fiancé are eligible for legal marriage to one another, meaning any prior marriages have been legally terminated by annulment, divorce, or death
• You have met  your fiancé in person at least one time in the two years prior to filing your petition. You might be able to waive the in-person meeting requirement if you can demonstrate that such a meeting would result in extreme hardship to you OR it would violate legitimate and strict customs of the culture or family of your fiancé

The Right Family Immigration Lawyers Near You to Provide Assistance

At Minsky McCormick & Hallagan, our experienced Chicago immigration lawyers believe that every family should be allowed to defend its right to stay together. We have helped many families who are trying to establish lawful immigration status. We know the many different legal options that are available to you and how to prove your eligibility for a specific visa. Contact us to schedule a consultation as soon as possible. The sooner you get legal advice, the better options you will have for establishing a lawful immigration status.