Going through the petition process for an immigration visa can be an extremely anxiety-inducing experience. At Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, we understand the importance of reuniting family members and assisting those who are facing removal proceedings. Regardless of whether you have questions about applying for an immigrant visa or concerns about deportation defense, a dedicated family immigration attorney can speak with you today about your case.
Most immigrants to the U.S. obtain visas in one of two ways: either through an employment-based visa category, or through a family-based visa category. Any foreign citizen who wants to live in the United States permanently must obtain an immigrant visa. While there are some options for a nonimmigrant visa to help keep families together while awaiting the immigration process to move forward, obtaining an immigrant visa is the first step you need to take in order to become a Green Card holder, a category that is also known as a lawful permanent resident.
As the U.S. Department of State website clarifies, there are different types of visas for which the spouse of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident may be eligible. An immigration visa is the first step in seeking a Green Card, or lawful permanent residency, in the United States. As such, it is extremely important to ensure that you file your I-130, Petition for Alien Relative form, very carefully and that you abide by the government’s requirements at each step of the immigration process.
If you are filing a petition as a current U.S. citizen on behalf of a family member, a fact sheet provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) explains that the following categories of persons may be able to obtain a Green Card:
In some situations, immigrants may be members of a special category and also may qualify for an immigrant visa. For example, battered spouses or children may qualify under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), a person who is born to a foreign diplomat in the U.S., or a widow of a U.S. citizen may be eligible to apply for a Green Card. Does the law change when the petitioner is not a U.S. citizen, but rather is a lawful permanent resident himself or herself with a Green Card? Typically, USCIS explains that a Green Card holder can petition for a spouse or unmarried children to apply for lawful permanent residency status.
In addition to information about immigrant visas and procedures, current Green Card holders in the United States who are seeking to reunite with a spouse or children should also learn more about the nonimmigrant (V) visa.
What is a V visa? In brief, as an information sheet from the U.S. Department of State explains, the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act (LIFE Act) is aimed specifically at reuniting families during the long process of immigration. Depending upon your specific situation and your priority dates, if you are a current lawful permanent resident and are planning to petition for an immigrant visa for a spouse or a child (the child must be under the age of 21), your family members may be able to obtain a V visa. With a V visa, you may be able to reunite with your family sooner.
Do you have questions about obtaining a family-based visa or building a strong deportation defense for a family member? An experienced family immigration attorney in Illinois can assist with your case. Contact Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC today.
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I am incredibly grateful to Mr. Burton for his outstanding legal assistance in my immigration case, from my first consultation he heard me patiently demonstrating exceptional professionalism, expertise, and a genuine commitment to my case. Immigration process can be overwhelming and stressful, but he and his team provided clear guidance every step of the way, always answering my questions promptly and reassuring me with their deep expertise. Thanks to their…
I had an outstanding experience working with Brittni Rivera. From our very first consultation, she demonstrated deep expertise, professionalism, and genuine care for my case. Navigating immigration processes can be incredibly stressful, but Brittni made the entire journey much more manageable and transparent. She were always responsive to my questions, provided clear guidance at every step, and never made me feel like just another case. Thanks to her hard work…
Highly recommend this firm. I had the pleasure of working with Lauren McClure and she is absolutely the best. She was very helpful and walked me through every step of the process, she is patient and she got the job done. I am very grateful with her and her team for helping me with the process of my case. Thank you so much.
I have worked with Kevin Raica for my VAWA application. Let me tell you he has been AMAZING. Unlike other lawyers Kevin has always went above and beyond for me. Kevin is not in it for the money he is in it to HELP people and make a difference. He has walked me through the entire process and always answers any questions I have no matter what. This law firm…
Mr. Burton helped my mother with her case. He was always polite, clear, and always answered my questions in a professional and diligent manner. Our case ran smoothly, and we never ran into any issues. I also want to greatly thank the paralegal that also managed my case, Stephanie Nunez, she was always willing and very helpful with my mother, a genuinely good person. I will forever recommend Justin and…
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Mr. Justin Burton! He is an outstanding specialist in his field and an attorney who quite literally changed our family’s life. Mr. Burton demonstrated a highly professional approach and exceptional dedication to our case. He stands out for his extensive knowledge of immigration law and, beyond that, is a person of great integrity. I can wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Justin Burton and…
I would like to start this review with a big thank you for the immigration lawyer, Nicole Provax, who has done a successful and amazing work on my dad’s case! She was dedicated in walking us through the whole process, keeping excellent communication with us, and despite the little hurdles that came up along the way, she was able to get the case to continue progressing! I’m forever grateful of…
We had the pleasure of having Justin Burton on my parents case. From the moment we reached out, his staff was incredibly welcoming and took the time to really listen to our concerns. We never felt rushed or like just another case, Justin made sure we understood every step of the process and answered all our questions with patience and clarity. What really impressed us was how Justin and staff…
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