How to Prepare for Your First Meeting with an Immigration Lawyer
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The U.S. offers multiple opportunities for immigrants. However, becoming eligible, applying for, and receiving approval for your desired status can be a challenging and often frustrating journey. Whether your goal is to bring family members to this country, receive asylum, obtain a work visa, or something else, the comprehensive services of a Chicago immigration attorney are immensely valuable. Here are some tips that can help you prepare for a successful initial meeting with an experienced Chicago immigration lawyer.
Collect Documents
Find all documents that could be related to your immigration case. Make copies of them to give to your attorney. Make sure you include:
- Your birth certificate
- Visas or visa applications
- Passports
- Your marriage certificate (if applicable)
- Letters from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)
- Any documents you received when you came to the U. S.
Be Honest About any Criminal Records
Your Chicago immigration attorney isn’t here to judge you. They are here to assess your entire situation, including any criminal history, so that they can help you in the best way possible. Concealing a criminal record from them will eventually prove to be a waste of time and money. Be honest from the beginning, understanding that the U.S. immigration authorities will probably require your fingerprints at some point in the process. Doing so can link you to your criminal records, which could cause you to lose your case because you lied. Instead, make copies of all police and court documents and provide those to the attorney as well.
Record Critical Information
Before you meet with the lawyer, take some time to write down the important events, dates, and circumstances that are unique to your case. The more details you can provide, the better. If your goal is asylum, be sure you include specific dates of occurrences and the names of offenders, witnesses, and victims. The attorney will know how to use this information to the benefit of your case. Putting the details on paper before you meet with them can help ensure that you remember everything.
Don’t Be Afraid to Share Information
Give your lawyer as much information as you can upfront. This will help you avoid strategy mistakes or damaging surprises down the road. Even if you don’t think it’s important, share it with your attorney and let them decide what to do with the information. Whatever you tell them will remain confidential.
Write Down Your Questions
Like most immigration clients, you likely have several questions for your attorney. Many people tend to get slightly nervous or caught up in the process of meeting their attorney, which results in them forgetting the questions they wanted to ask. By taking the time to jot them down before you go, you can ensure that you won’t forget and that you can receive timely answers to your most pressing questions.
Schedule a Consultation with Our Experienced Chicago Family Immigration Attorneys
If you are searching for a knowledgeable and experienced Chicago immigration lawyer, look no further than Kriezelman Burton & Associates. Our team of dedicated and reputable attorneys is well-versed in the complexities of immigration law and the challenges it presents to people just like you. We not only serve immigration clients in Chicago but also all throughout Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan. Contact us today to schedule your confidential immigration case review.
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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 cannot find the words to express my gratitude to Brittni Rivera! She literally saved my family. We had been waiting seven years for what she accomplished in just three weeks. I was impressed by how accessible the office is—they always answer calls very quickly. A special thank you to paralegal Nataliia Melnyk. You are my heroes. Thank you.
Thank you all, I found this group to be a great service. Thank you all, blessings to you. especially Khiabett
We are incredibly grateful for the help and support we received from this office. From the very beginning, they understood the urgency of our situation and treated our case with real care, professionalism, and speed. They were extremely responsive, clear, and compassionate throughout the entire process. They moved quickly when timing was critical, kept us informed, and helped us navigate a very stressful immigration situation with confidence. Thanks to their…
Kevin Raica and his team handled my immigration application and i can other recommend them enough. They made a stressful process very easy. They are very knowledgeable in this area and helped us at every stage from beginning to end.
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