Understanding Family-Based Immigration
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When citizens and lawful permanent residents of the United States wish to bring family members from other countries over to America, they can sponsor their relatives who wish to obtain a family-based visa. The USCIS offers two types of family-based visas and the type applied for depends on the relationship to the American citizen or lawful permanent resident. To give you and your family member the best chance of a positive outcome, it is important to understand what type of family-based visa to apply for, and to speak to an Illinois immigration attorney who can help.
Immediate Relative Visas
For many individuals, being sponsored by an American citizen or lawful permanent resident that is also a family member is the first step to obtaining legal permanent resident status or citizenship for themselves. Individuals that can apply for these visas include:
- Spouses of American citizens
- Parents of adult American citizens
- Unmarried children of American citizens
- Orphans that were internationally adopted by American citizens
- Orphans that were adopted by an American citizen but their adoption is still pending
There is no limit on the amount of Immediate Relative visas that are available, and any number of immigrants can apply for this type of visa every year.
Family Preference Visas
Family Preference visas are limited, so only a certain number of people are approved for these types of visas every year. These visas are divided into the following categories:
- Family First Preference (F1): This category applies to children of American citizens that are not married, as well as their minor children, if applicable.
- Family Second Preference (F2): Spouses of American permanent lawful residents and their adult children that are not married fall into this category.
- Family Third Preference (F3): Children of American citizens that are married, as well as any of their minor children and their spouses, fall into this category.
- Family Fourth Preference (F4): This category of Family Preference visas includes siblings of adult American citizens, as well as their minor children and spouses, if applicable.
The categories are numbered as they are because they are listed according to preference. So, for example, family members that fall into the Family Second Preference category are given more consideration and will likely receive a visa before individuals in the Family Fourth Preference category. It is also important to apply for the appropriate type of visa, as applying for the wrong preference type can greatly delay an application and, therefore, a person securing their visa.
Our Illinois Immigration Lawyers can Help with Your Application
The visa application process can be quite complex. If you are applying for a visa or sponsoring a family member, our Chicago immigration lawyers at Kriezelman, Burton & Associates, LLC can help. We can advise on which type of visa you may qualify for, assist with the application process, and give you the best chance of a positive outcome. Call us today or contact us online to arrange a consultation with one of our attorneys so we can get started on your case.
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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…
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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.
Brittni Rivera She is my Attorney from 2017 Thank you so, so much. This truly wouldn’t have been possible without you, Brittni. Can’t wait to file for the green cards.
We hoped and prayed for this day, not knowing if it would ever come. Deportations are incredibly scary and overwhelming. We wanted to give a very special thank you to Jennifer Peyton of Chicago for securing this victory for us! With Jennifer on our side we were able to get our loved one back. On behalf of our family, thank you. When we started this journey, we had hoped and…
Matthew Kriezelman, first of all, thank you very much; you and your team are the best immigration lawyers in Chicago. I had a great experience—your professionalism was outstanding, and you were always there whenever needed. I give you five stars for the wonderful work you and your team did. Thanks again.
Hay momentos en la vida en los que una familia siente que el mundo se detiene. Nosotros vivimos uno de esos momentos y, en medio de la incertidumbre y el miedo, tuvimos la fortuna de encontrar a la abogada Sheila McNulty y al paralegal Rafael Rodríguez . Nos escucharon con empatía, nos guiaron con paciencia y defendieron nuestro caso con un profesionalismo, una dedicación y una calidad humana realmente excepcionales.…
We would like to take a moment to sincerely thank Khiabett for her exceptional work and dedication in handling my husband’s removal proceedings case. We also want to thank Agata for her great communication during the gathering of all documents. Khiabett we are incredibly grateful for your expertise, guidance, and persistence throughout the entire process. I can't thank you enough for your empathy and standing by me during such a…
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