Family Immigration Lawyers 60106

Family Immigration Lawyers 60106

A U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder) can petition for their relatives to obtain green cards and migrate to the United States if they are not already in the country. If they are already in the country, they can obtain the green card through a process known as “adjustment of status” if they meet all other eligibility requirements. At Minsky McCormick & Hallagan, we have experienced family immigration lawyers who help clients in area code 60106 apply for and obtain green cards for their relatives.

Immediate Relatives and Preference Category Green Cards

A family-based green card can be obtained under two broad categories: the immediate relative or preference category. An immediate relative is someone who has a close family relationship with a U.S. citizen, such as a spouse, unmarried child who is not over the age of 21, or a parent if the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old.

The other broad category of family-based green cards available is the “preference category.” This is a category for all other relatives who do not qualify as immediate relatives but fall within the definition of “preference category,” and these include unmarried adult children of US citizens who are over the age of 21 years (F1), spouses and unmarried children of green card holders under the age of 21 (F2A), unmarried children of green card holders who are over the age of 21 (F2B), married children of U.S. citizens (F3), and siblings of U.S. citizens if the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years or older (F4).

If you are a relative who falls in any of these categories or if you have a relative who does, then obtaining a green card for you or for your relative entails going through either adjustment of status or consular processing.

Obtaining Green Card through Adjustment of Status

If you are a U.S. citizen with a qualifying relative who is in the United States in some other visa category, or if they are immediate relatives without valid status, they can apply to obtain their green card without being required to leave the United States if your petition for them is approved and they meet all other requirements.

This process is referred to as “adjustment of status” and requires you to file Form I-130 Alien Relative Petition for your qualifying relative with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Your I-130 petition can be concurrently filed with your relative’s Form I-485 Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (green card application). This is the fastest way of obtaining a green card as there is no long waiting time, sometimes years common when filing for a green card under all other categories.

If your relative is outside the United States or if you are a green card holder and your relative is not eligible to go through an adjustment of status, then they would have to go through consular processing. 

A Family Immigration Attorney Can Help

If you are in the 60106 area code and wish to file papers for your relative to obtain a green card, contact us today to request a consultation.