Family-Based Immigration

Chicago Asylum Attorney

Reliable Legal Support for Family Immigration in Cook County

If you are a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, you can sponsor certain types of family members for green cards. These visas confer lawful permanent residency and allow recipients to live and work almost anywhere in the country. Family sponsorship also serves as a potential pathway to permanent United States citizenship.

Our Chicago family-based immigration lawyer at Aparicio Immigration Law can assist you with each step of the sponsorship process. Our team can assess your loved one’s eligibility and help you prepare the necessary paperwork and application materials. We have a strong track record of delivering favorable results and can provide the experienced guidance you need and deserve.

Schedule an initial consultation to learn more about family sponsorship by contacting us online. We assist clients in Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.

Eligibility for Family Members to Obtain Green Cards

Only United States citizens and lawful permanent residents can sponsor their loved ones for green cards. The types of family members you can sponsor will depend on whether you are a citizen or lawful permanent resident.

United States citizens can sponsor:

Spouses
Parents
Unmarried children under the age of 21
Unmarried children over the age of 21
Married children (any age)
Siblings

Lawful permanent residents can sponsor:

Spouses
Unmarried children under the age of 21

Many types of more distant relatives, including grandparents, grandchildren, cousins, aunts, and uncles, are not eligible for green cards. Our Chicago family-based immigration attorney can help you understand who you can sponsor.

Spouses, parents, and unmarried children (under the age of 21) of U.S. citizens qualify as “immediate relatives.” Visas will be immediately available to immediate relatives once United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) approves their family petitions. However, it still typically takes USCIS at least 1 year to process family petitions.

All other eligible relatives must apply under the “family preference” categories. Only a limited number of family preference green cards are distributed each year. This means that family preference relatives will likely need to wait for a visa to become available after their petition has been approved. The extent of the wait can vary but depends on the case backlog, the relative’s relation to the sponsor, and the relative’s country of origin.

Steps to Obtain a Green Card for Family in Chicago

The initial sponsoring petition seeks to confirm that a legitimate familial relationship exists. Once this has been established, USCIS will recognize that the sponsored relative is eligible for a green card.

After a visa becomes available, the sponsored relative will need to either adjust their status or go through consular processing. If your family member is currently in the United States, they can formally request an adjustment of status by submitting the appropriate paperwork to USCIS. If your family member is outside the United States, they will need to initiate consular processing through their home country’s U.S. embassy or consular office. This will involve undergoing a medical examination and meeting with a USCIS officer for an in-person interview.

Once either process has been completed, your family member will receive their permanent green card and become a lawful permanent resident. These visas last for ten years and can generally be easily renewed.

Guidance for Conditional Green Cards in Marriage Cases

If you sponsor your spouse and your marriage is less than two years old, your spouse will receive a “conditional” green card that expires after only two years. You will need to file a joint petition to “remove conditions” in the 90-day window before the conditional green card is set to expire. Failure to complete this step can result in your spouse accruing unlawful presence.

Removing conditions involves verifying your marriage is authentic and that you have continued to live a life together in the United States. Your spouse will receive a traditional green card with a ten-year validity period when conditions are successfully removed.

Our Chicago family-based immigration lawyer at Aparicio Immigration Law can assist you with removing conditions and work to overcome any other obstacle that arises during the sponsorship process. Our attorney is an immigrant himself and understands the importance of bringing families together.

Explore your family immigration options by contacting us onlinetoday. We offer our legal services in English and Spanish.

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"I highly recommend Victor as an attorney."
I got the incredible news that my case was granted, Victor Aparicio is very professional and very knowledgeable about what to do in cases of immigration, excellent service.

- Gilma V.
"Victor is a highly-skilled immigration attorney with considerable experience."
He is constantly brainstorming solutions to complex immigration problems, and the results speak for themselves.

- Moises B.
"Victor Aparicio is a very professional and knowledgeable immigration lawyer."
I've worked with him in the past, and I've also been a client of his. He made a very complicated and delicate process easy to understand.

- Laura G.
"He is probably the best immigration lawyer I've had the experience to work with in Chicago."
Victor Aparicio is a very professional and knowledgeable immigration lawyer. I've worked with him in the past, and I've also been a client of his. He made a very complicated and delicate process easy to understand.

- Marina M.
"We strongly recommend Victor for anyone who needs an immigration attorney."
Victor explained the process and timeline of how everything works over the next years to come I remember that day like yesterday we didn't even leave his office, we hired him on the spot.

- Mitch & Ana
"I have the utmost respect for the line of work that Victor Aparicio did for my wife and I."
I am a born U.S. citizen who severed in the Marine Corps and was honorably discharged. My wife was a non-U.S. resident from Mexico and protected by DACA since 2014. He worked with us and almost exactly a year later she is now a new U.S. Permanent resident!

- Hector M.

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Why Choose Aparicio Immigration Law?

Spanish Speaking Services Available
With a staff that speaks English and Spanish fluently, our team makes sure all communication with clients is always direct and always clear.
We are Centrally & Conveniently Located

Our office is located less than a mile from Chicago Immigration Court, allowing us to very conveniently help all clients throughout Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.
We Have a Record that Speaks for Itself
With many victorious cases taken to court and hundreds of happy reviews from clients, our team proudly works hard to earn its good reputation.
We Can Relate to Your Experience
Having gone through the immigration process himself, Attorney Aparicio has first-hand experience to help understand your situation.

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