Chicago Family Immigration Lawyer
Chicago Family Immigration Lawyer
Going through the U.S. immigration system to obtain legal status for a qualifying family member is a challenging experience that can often be frustrating. At Kriezelman Burton & Associates, we have experienced immigration attorneys who assist clients in the Chicago area. We are based in Chicago, but we also help clients in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan who are looking for immigration benefits for themselves or for their family members.
Family immigration is done through a complicated process that is divided into two broad categories, which are further subdivided into several subcategories.
Immediate Family Members
Under U.S. immigration laws, an immediate relative is an individual who has a close family relationship with a U.S. citizen, such as a spouse, child who is under the age of 21, or parent if the US citizen is over the age of 21.
This is the best category to immigrate under because the visa (green card) is immediately processed, unlike other categories where one must sometimes wait several years before their green card is approved. This is because there is a backlog of immigration cases in all other categories owing to the limit the law places on how many green cards can be issued annually in those other categories. For immediate family members, however, there is no limit; therefore, a visa is always immediately available once a petition filed by the US family member is approved.
Preference Family Category
If a family member is not an immediate relative, then they may qualify to obtain a green card in the second category, which U.S. immigration law allows its family members to migrate to the US. This category is the preference category and is available for family relations in the following situations:
- First preference (F1) – unmarried children of U.S. citizens who are over 21 years
- Second preference (F2A) – spouses and unmarried children of green card holders who are under the age of 21
- Second preference (F2B) – unmarried sons and daughters of green card holders who are 21 years of age and older,
- Third preference (F3) – married children of U.S. citizens; and
- Fourth preference (F4) – siblings of U.S. citizens who are at least 21 years old
Petitioning for a Relative and Application Process
If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (green card holder) and have a close relative who meets the above criteria, then you can petition for them to be given a green card of their own. This is done by filing an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). In the immediate category, this petition can be concurrently filed with an I-485 Application to Register Permanent Resident Status or Adjust Status.
In the preference category, the I-130 petition must be filed first, and you must have it adjudicated and approved before you or your relative can file the I-485 application if you or your relative is in the United States. If the relative is outside the United States or needs to complete the green card application outside the US, then the green card application will be made at a US consulate in the country where the relative lives or wishes to complete the green card application process.
If you wish to obtain a family-based green card and are in the Chicago area, contact us today and schedule a consultation. We are based in Chicago but also offer services in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. We handle all types of immigration cases.
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What Our Clients Say
5-Star Rating | Based on 200+ Satisfied Customer Google Reviews
Kevin Raica literally saved my life. He helped me out of a dangerous situation that my previous attorney had put me in. After 17 years without status and 6.5 years of working with my previous attorney, I had experienced so many denials that I had completely lost hope. When I met Kevin, everything changed. He genuinely cared about my situation and gave me hope when I couldn’t see any for…
We sincerely thank the entire team for the professionalism, responsiveness, patience, and dedication shown throughout our case. From our very first visit, Justin reassured us that everything would be all right. Thank you, Khiabett, for your expertise, professionalism, and calm guidance before and during the interview, which greatly reduced our stress and gave us confidence. We also deeply appreciate Kamila's hard work, patience, and responsiveness throughout the process. For sorting…
I would like to sincerely thank Attorney Justin Burton and PL Kamila Lada for support with my adjustment of status case. I have been working with the firm for over a year now, and I have received nothing short of exceptional services and support throughout various cases for myself and family members. Highly recommend consulting and retaining this firm.
We have been in the dark with our case for over 2 decades, while working with other big firms who just kept me in the dark and sat on our case without making any effort to move it forward until I met the wonderful team at Kriezelman & Burton. AO and JP are truly God-sent angels who with their knowledge, collaboration, sense of direction and outside the box thinking, managed…
Highly recommend attorney Kevin Raica and attorney Agata Bigdanowicz. They were super helpful, responded on time, and won my case in record time. It took about a month and half in total for me to get my approval after filing!
Brittni Rivera and her team (Carina Lopez) are fantastic! They are responsive, efficient and beyond compassionate. Brittni Rivera and her team treated me with dignity and respect as they patiently answered all of my questions. They didn't move on without making sure I understood each step. Their work ethic was impressive. It felt like they were an extension of my personal team. I can't say enough to convey my gratitude…
I wanted to share my experience and say that attorney Britney Rivera is extremely competent in her work. I had heard from friends that she was a very strong lawyer, and she certainly proved to be one. She won our case in a very short time, and my family and I are incredibly grateful to her!🌹And a big thank you to her team as well!🌹🌹🌹
Huge thanks to Attorney Matthew for his incredible support on our immigration case! 🙏 He was professional, responsive, and his expertise led to a successful outcome. We truly appreciate his hard work and highly recommend his service.
I’m deeply grateful to God for leading us to this law firm; it is a true blessing to work with such professional and passionate individuals. Their dedication and commitment help make a difficult situation far less traumatic. In our case, we received 100% support from Attorney Andrea Ochoa and paralegal Rafael. May God bless them and allow them to continue this wonderful work. Thank you—a thousand thanks.
I give my total recommendation and trust in this great organization that has supported me and my family in very difficult times, especially the lawyer Andrea Ochoa and her paralegal Rafael who were little angels that God has sent us to be able to face all the obstacles that we have had along the way. Thank you very much with all my heart. ❤️
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