Paths to Permanent U.S. Residency
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Many U.S. immigrants eventually hope to make the United States their home, and while the path to citizenship is difficult, it is not impossible. For those individuals, the first step toward obtaining permanent residency involves becoming Lawful Permanent Residents. Lawful Permanent Residence status allows individuals to live in the United States on an indefinite basis so long as he or she does not commit any crimes or other violations that would result in deportation. Eventually, those individuals are given the opportunity to apply for Citizenship.
If you are interested in obtaining permanent residency so that you may eventually apply for U.S. citizenship, there are a few paths you can take to get there. Talk to the Chicago immigration lawyers at Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, to discuss your options and to work your way toward permanent residency today.
You Are an Immediate Relative of a U.S. Citizen
One of the easiest ways to obtain permanent residency status in the U.S. is to be an immediate family member of an existing U.S. citizen. Immediate relatives include individuals who are:
- Spouses of U.S. citizens;
- Children (single and under the age of 21), step-children, and stepparents of U.S. citizens, so long as the marriage took place prior to the child turning 18; and
- Adopted children, so long as the adoption took place before the child was 16.
You Are an Employee in the U.S.
Every year, a total of 140,000 green cards are reserved for individuals whose skill sets cannot be found on the U.S. market and that are needed by U.S. employers. In these instances, a job offer is necessary for the individual to obtain lawful permanent resident status, and even with a job offer, permanent residency is not guaranteed. The employer needs to begin the process and remain actively involved in it through the entire application process.
You Won the Green Card Lottery
Every year, 50,000 visas are reserved for the diversity lottery, a lottery to which only citizens of certain residents may apply. The countries eligible for the lottery are those that have sent over the least number of immigrants in the past.
To apply, you must submit your application during the one-month window, which is usually at the end of the year. Unfortunately, because the government is so slow to process applications, few actually ever make it through the system on time.
You Are a Long-Time Resident and Are Forced to Leave
If you have been a long-time resident of the U.S.—meaning, you have lived here for 10 years or more—have good moral character, have a spouse and children in the U.S., and have been placed in removal proceedings, you may have a chance at obtaining permanent resident status. However, you must be able to prove that your spouse and children would face significant hardship if you were removed from the country. Though the process is complicated, you stand a chance of winning your case with a skilled Chicago immigration lawyer by your side.
Contact an Immigration Lawyer Near You
If you want to become a permanent resident of the U.S., you have a few more options outside of those mentioned above. Talk to the Chicago immigration attorneys at Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, to learn more about all of your options and to begin the application process today.
What Our Clients Say
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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.
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 for standing by me during such…
I used their services for my case, and everything went smoothly. Rafael and Matthew are very knowledgeable and helpful, and answered all my questions. I highly recommend them!
I have used their services since 2022, and my experience was great. My own case was successfully finished this year. I want to say Matt and Raf were of great help throughout, and also Jennifer, who attended the interview with me. I would highly recommend their services.
Mr. Jeffery and Mr. Kevin Racia were the attorneys handling a complex immigration case of mine. On the assurance of both attorneys that the case is going to be presented in a systematic way, I went ahead with confidence. I was able to become a legal permanent resident. I highly recommend Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC for all your immigration needs.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to the remarkable team of Khiabett Osuna, Brittani Rivera, and Rafael Rodriguez, who were responsible for the successful release from detention of one of our parishioners, husband and father of four, after over 10 weeks of incarceration. From his detention to the payment of his bail and from Immigration Court to his reunion with his family, there were blessings aplenty made possible through the…
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my attorney, Brittni Rivera, for her professionalism and support during a very difficult time. I was in detention for 6 months, and thanks to her hard work and filing a habeas corpus petition, I was finally released. In addition, when I was released, ICE did not return my documents. Brittni did not ignore this issue — she took action and successfully…
My aunt was recently detained by ICE and sent to El Paso, Texas to the East Montana Detention Facility. This place is essentially a prison in the middle of the desert, and the majority of the detainees here get deported. My family and I interviewed a dozen immigration attorneys around the country to help my aunt, and we decided to hire Kevin Raica, an attorney with Kriezelman Burton and Associates.…
Our case was very difficult, and at times it felt like there was no way out. My wife was detained for a long period of time, and it was an extremely challenging experience for our family. Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC truly changed our situation. I would especially like to thank our attorney, Brittni Rivera, as well as Natalia. They were attentive, honest, and always ready to help. It was…
I cannot recommend Kevin Raica highly enough. He helped me successfully obtain my U.S. green card, and the entire process was smooth and stress-free because of his expertise and dedication. From start to finish, Kevin was professional, organized, and extremely knowledgeable about immigration law. He made sure every document was prepared correctly and took the time to explain each step clearly. Anytime I had questions, he responded promptly and made…
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