Immigration Law for

Family Based Immigration

Lawyers for Family-Based Immigration

Ever wondered how lawyers for family based immigration can help you in your desire to unite your family in the USA? If you are in the US as a lawful permanent resident (LPR), which simply means you have the authorization to live and work in the USA, your spouse and children can also become permanent residents.

Since you are living here, you probably already know that there are many ways for family members you wish to join you in obtaining permanent residence status you and hold their own green cards. One of the ways is through family Based Immigration. You can petition for your relatives to join you and live permanently in America.

With the ever-changing rules and policies concerning immigration, this quite complicated process can all be handled for you by qualified lawyers for family-based immigration cases –eliminating all guesswork, stress, and headaches for you.

To sponsor a family member, the sponsor must meet the following eligibility criteria.

  • The sponsor in family member must be a U.S. citizen. A permanent resident of the USA and documents must be provided as proof of that status.
  • You must have a qualified relationship with the immigrant.
  • You must be willing to sponsor the immigrant by submitting the Family Immigration Form I-130 (Petition of a Foreign Family Member)
  • You must show that you can financially support yourself and other family members sponsored at 125% above the mandatory poverty line.

This article is all about joining family in the USA.  However, how exactly do you do it? As with any process that involves the government, it is a strenuous process, which is why it would be in your best interest to work with lawyers for family-based immigration.

The Application Process

The application process you have to take may seem pretty straightforward; however, it must be mentioned that nothing beats doing this than by securing the help of lawyers for family-based immigration. They are familiar with the whole process and can guide you to prepare the legal documents like affidavits, signed personal statements, and any other legal memos should your case turn out to be more complicated. Here are the steps you can expect the lawyer you will hire will take to facilitate a seamless application.

  • Preparation of form I-130.
  • Assembling the documents that must be submitted with form I-130.
  • Preparation of Affidavits (signed personal statements) that may be necessary.
  • Writing legal memos for more complicated cases, where necessary;
  • Preparing and sending a response to a USCIS Evidence of Request (RFE).

If the applicant is within the US during the family immigration application process, he/she may qualify to adjust the status to Permanent Resident without returning to their home country. On the other hand, if the applicant is outside the US, then you may be eligible for consular processing through a consulate or a US embassy that has jurisdiction over your place of residence abroad.

Longing for your loved ones to come together as a family in the USA?

It is time to file for family based immigration. The court system has been inundated by changes in immigration rules and policies. With the current crisis that Americans are facing concerning managing immigration, it seems relief is far from sight. Across the board, it is getting harder and harder to immigrate to the USA, what more with petitioning for other relatives to come and join you. Avoid dealing with tons of paperwork and legal jargon; let competent lawyers for family based immigration handle everything for you. Do not put it off any longer.

Filing Fees

As of 2019, the I-30 filing fee is $535 for each individual filing and subject to change at any time. If you are petitioning more than one “immediate or derivative relative” or family member, each filing will be treated separately and you will have to pay individual filing fees for each of them. An immediate relative is the legal spouse or unmarried minor (under the age of 21) child of a US citizen. The children of your spouse from a previous marriage are considered derivative relatives. You do not have to worry about these terminologies when you have a lawyer by your side who deals with family based immigration.

Hiring a Competent Lawyer for Family Immigration Cases

The process for filing petitions for a spouse or children in joining family in the USA can be complicated because of all the paperwork that is required. You must hire a competent immigration lawyer – one that specializes in family-based immigration. Here are some tips to help you sift through a whole cadre of these professionals.

  • Seek References

It is time to talk to family, friends and people within your circle of influence if they know of any attorney that specializes in family based immigration. They usually can give excellent recommendations, whether they have had any immigration issues themselves or not. They may not be able to refer you to someone, but they typically keep their ear low to the ground and can warn you about an incompetent lawyer they may have heard about.

  • Find Lawyers on the Internet

Search for lawyers for family immigration cases on the internet. The website for the American Immigration Lawyers Association has a long list of lawyers who specialize in this field. These are professionals who know immigration law and policies like the back of their hand. Start by listing those who practice in your area. Attorneys who sign up as members of particular associations indicate that they are committed to this area of the law.

  • Set up Appointments to Interview Layers and Shortlist Your Choices

Once you have a list of several lawyers, narrow it down to just a few that you would like to interview. You can expect a short discussion about your case, and you can ask questions regarding their expertise. You can also ask whether they have worked on a similar case before. Ask about their fees and expected expenses. If they have client references, you can request for them to share them with you.

  • Compare Legal Fees

Evaluate the lawyers’ fee schedules and find out how they charge for their services. As in other areas of specialization, legal services may be charged hourly or flat. Billings will also include court costs, courier fees and other expenses like photocopying, faxing, and postage. Make sure you know what expenses are chargeable or passed on to you as these can add up.

  • Review Their Credentials

Aside from membership associations that are particularly related to family based immigration, you should also make sure that they have a license to practice law in your area. It will not be considered impolite; instead, it is expected of you to ask whether any disciplinary actions have been filed against them.

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