Keeping Families Together: Family-Based Visas

Keeping families united is an underlying principle of U.S. immigration policy. In recent years, about two-thirds of the foreign nationals admitted to the United States as lawful permanent residents (LPRs) have been admitted on the basis of family ties. Obtaining a visa either through a blood relationship or through marriage often is the initial step to receiving permanent residency or citizenship.

We provide many immigration services on a flat-fee basis so our clients know how much it will cost ahead of time.

At Henry & Grogan, our immigration lawyers have decades of experience helping U.S. citizens and permanent residents obtain visas for family members and fiancé(e)s. The petition for a family-based immigration is paperwork-intensive. Choosing the right form and completing it correctly is a good start — but it’s only a start.

We Treat Your Family Like Our Family

Cookie-cutter approaches to family-based immigration applications will not work. We create strategies that match our clients’ unique needs, helping them organize the steps that must be accomplished in order to streamline the process. We help clients with the full array of family-based immigration matters, including:

• Family preference — Family members fall into four preference categories while waiting for a visa number. A family member’s wait time will depend in part on his or her relationship with the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident, home country and the number of people who have already requested a visa in your category.
• Adjustment of status — An alien who is living in the U.S. and who wants to change his or her nonimmigrant status to immigrant or permanent resident status can do so through adjustment of status.
• Marriage visas — If the spouse of a U.S. citizen is still living abroad, the spouse is typically eligible for a K-3 visa, which allows the spouse to enter the U.S. as a nonimmigrant and apply for permanent resident status.
• Fiancé(e) visas — A U.S. citizen who is engaged to marry a foreign citizen may bring that person to the U.S. as long as the marriage occurs within 90 days of his or her arrival.

Personal Attention From Experienced Family-Based Visa Attorneys

Immigration law is constantly in flux. It is critical that you enlist the services of lawyers like those at Henry & Grogan, who work on immigration cases every day. We invite you to schedule a free consultation in which we can answer your questions and recommend the best course of action. We work with families in Greater Philadelphia and throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania, as well as New Jersey, New York and Delaware.