The USCIS interview is an opportunity for an immigration officer to review your application, verify the information provided, and ask questions about your background, eligibility, and intentions. You should be prepared to provide additional documentation if requested, answer questions honestly and completely, and demonstrate that you meet all requirements for permanent residence in your specific category.
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Consular Processing & Adjustment of Status
Chicago Consular Processing & Adjustment of Status Attorneys
Obtaining permanent residence status (a green card) in the United States can confer a number of important benefits to individuals. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), there are two main ways through which a person can obtain permanent resident status – consular processing and adjustment of status. While both methods achieve the same result, there are important differences of which potential immigrants should be aware. In addition, both consular processing and adjustment of status can be extremely complicated, so it is highly advisable for anyone seeking permanent resident status through either process to consult with an attorney as soon as possible.
Consular Processing
Consular processing is used by people overseas who are the beneficiaries of an approved immigrant petition and have an immigrant number immediately available. In order to obtain permanent resident status, they must apply at a U.S. consulate abroad for an immigrant visa in order to be admitted into the United States as a permanent resident. The steps associated with consular processing are as follows:
- Determine whether you have the ability to immigrate
- File the appropriate immigrant petition
- Obtain a decision on your petition
- Wait for the National Visa Center to inform you that an immigrant visa number will be available
- Attend an appointment at the consular office
- Notify the Visa Center of any Changes
- Obtain a visa packet to present to a Customs and Border Protection Officer
- Receive your green card
Adjustment of Status
Adjustment of status, on the other hand, permits an individual who is already in the United States to change his or her status from non-immigrant or permanent immigrant status. In order to obtain an adjustment of status, a person must meet all required qualifications for permanent resident status in a given category. The steps involved with obtaining adjustment of status include the following:
- Determine whether you have a basis to immigrate
- File the appropriate immigrant petition
- Check to see whether there are visas available in your category
- File Form I-485
- Provide biometric information at your Application Support Center
- Attend your interview, if applicable
- Obtain a final decision through the mail
Importantly, if you are denied an adjustment of status, your notification will inform you whether you have the right to appeal. In some cases, you may not. If you do have the right to appeal, you must file a notice of appeal within 30 days of the date on which you were served the decision. In some cases, you may be able to file a Motion to Reopen or Reconsider. If any of these appeal options apply to you, you should contact an attorney immediately.
Contact A Chicago Immigration Law Firm Today
Whether you are seeking permanent resident status through consular processing or through an adjustment of status, the assistance of an attorney can be invaluable. In many cases, retaining an attorney can help make the process go much more quickly and efficiently and can also help avoid any issues before they even arise. For more than 40 years, the Chicago consular processing and adjustment of status lawyers of Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC have been helping people with legal issues related to United States immigration law. To schedule a consultation with one of our lawyers, call our office today at 312-332-2550.
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We are incredibly grateful for the guidance and support we received from Kriezelman Burton & Associates during our family’s Green Card petition process. We had a very complicated case that several other lawyers could not take on, but that was not the case with Kriezelman Burton & Associates. From the beginning, our Attorney Mr. Kevin Raica made us feel heard, supported, and confident that our case was in good hands.…
Highly recommend Attorney Erin Cobb and her entire team. Extremely knowledgeable, compassionate, and urgent to serve and solve any issue.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my attorney, Kevin Raica, for his incredible professionalism, dedication, and genuine care🙏🏻 My case was extremely complicated, It felt like everything was lost and there was no way to fix it. But Kevin did the impossible — he managed to reopen my case, restore everything, and lead it to a successful result at the interview. His persistence, deep knowledge, responsibility, and…
I had a great experience working with Matthew Kriezelman and Kamila Lada. They were professional, knowledgeable, and truly cared about my case. They always took the time to answer my questions and kept me informed every step of the way. Their kindness and attention to detail made a stressful process so much easier. I’m very grateful for their help and highly recommend them.
I am writing to appreciate Attorney Erin and Attorney Andrea for making it possible for me to be represented within a short notice. If you both ever read this, I truly want to express my heartfelt gratitude to both of you. Andrea was right by me, and I felt her presence through it all. I cannot speak enough about this firm. I will continue to send people to this firm…
I had the pleasure of working with attorney Khiabett Osuna and Rafael. They were knowledgeable, professional, and genuinely cared about my case from start to finish. They were both very kind and every question I had was answered promptly, and they always made me feel supported and informed. Their attention to detail and compassion made a stressful process so much easier. I’m beyond grateful for their hard work and highly…
I had a wonderful experience working with Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC. From start to finish, the team was professional, knowledgeable, and truly dedicated to guiding me through every step of the process. They made what could have been a stressful situation feel smooth and manageable, always answering questions quickly and keeping me updated. I especially want to thank Khabit for his outstanding support—he was patient, detail-oriented, and went above…
Many thanks to attorney Kevin A Raica and his assistant Rafael Rodriguez for all their help. My immigration case went very smoothly and quickly.
We worked with Kevin Raica from Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, and I can confidently say he went above and beyond for us. Our process was very long and at times overwhelming, but Kevin guided us every step of the way with professionalism, patience, and dedication. He was always available to answer our questions, explained everything clearly, and made sure we understood our options at each stage. What stood out…
A family friend referred me to work with Maya Flores at Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC to help me with my U.S. naturalization. Despite the current immigration tension, Maya helped make the process smooth and her familiarity with procedure helped ease my anxiety. She submitted the citizenship application on my behalf and let me know what to expect. I decided to retain her service for the civics interview as well,…
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