Northbrook Family Based Immigration Lawyers

Northbrook Family-Based Immigration Lawyers Helping Reunite Families for Over 40 Years

According to the Migration Policy Institute, 42.4 million immigrants were living in the United States in 2014. Furthermore, 1,016,518 foreign nationals became lawful permanent residents (LPRs) that same year, and of those more than one million LPRs, 41 percent were immediate family members of current U.S. citizens.

For many individuals, family is of the utmost importance. Because of this, those who migrate to the United States oftentimes try and obtain U.S. citizenship for their family members as well. However, because of the complexity of the immigration process, it can take months or even years for a family to be reunited. At Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, our Northbrook, IL family-based immigration lawyers have been reuniting families for over 40 years. Armed with knowledge and experience, we are equipped to help families from across the globe shorten the immigration process, and ensure that they are reunited as soon as possible. Contact our Northbrook, IL family-based immigration law firm to consult with our legal team about your family-based immigration needs.

Helping Northbrook Immigrants Utilize Their Family-Based Green Cards

The immigration process is significantly easier for an individual when they have a family member who is already a legal residence of the United States in that it does not require the migrating individual to meet all of the stringent qualifications of a non-family immigrant. The only qualifications that they must meet are relationship based. For instance, an individual may qualify for a green card through a family member if they fall into one of three categories:

• They are an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen;
• They are a preference relative of a U.S. citizen or permanent residence; or
• They are accompanying someone in a preference category.

An immediate relative has the greatest priority. Additionally, the U.S. government does not regulate how many green cards it grants to immediate family members, unlike with non-family members and other qualifying relatives. An immediate family member includes:

• Spouses, including recent widows and widowers;
• Children of U.S. citizens who are under the age of 21;
• Parents of U.S. citizens if the citizen is over the age of 21;
• Stepchildren and stepparents, if the marriage that created the relationship took place before the child turned 18; and
• Adopted parents/children, if the adoption took place before the child was 16.

Preference Relatives Under Family-Based Immigration Law

While immediate family members are at the top of the priority list for family-based green cards, preference relatives are also given high priority. Preference relatives are categorized into four groups:

• First Preference (F1): This category is reserved for the unmarried sons and daughters, regardless of age, of U.S. citizens;
• Second Preference (F2): Spouses – both of same sex and of opposite sex – minor children, and unmarried sons and daughters at least 21 years of age or older of permanent residents are given second preference;
• Third Preference (F3): This category is reserved for the sons and daughters of U.S. citizens who are 21 or older, their spouses, and their minor children; and
• Fourth Preference (F4): Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens, their spouses, and their minor children are given fourth and final preference. This category also includes stepbrothers, stepsisters, and adoptive siblings.

If an individual in one of the four preference categories has a spouse or child whom they would like to accompany with them to the United States, they may also be included in the family-based immigration process as a “derivative beneficiary.”

Contact Our Northbrook, IL Family-Based Immigration Law Firm

At Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, our Northbrook, IL family-based immigration lawyers want to help you and your family members reunite as permanent residents of the United States. However, we understand that the immigration process can be long and complex, even with family-based benefits. With over 40 years of experience in helping individuals and families navigate U.S. immigration law, our Northbrook, IL immigration attorneys are well equipped to help you and your family members tackle your complicated immigration needs in a timely fashion. To speak with a legal representative regarding your Northbrook, IL family-based immigration needs, contact the law offices of Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC at 312-332-2550, or fill out our online contact form, to schedule a consultation with an experienced immigration attorney today.