Maryville Family Immigration Lawyers
Helping families in Maryville, Tennessee stay united wherever their roots are
America’s immigration laws help US citizens and permanent legal residents unite with their families and children, if US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requirements are met and the proper documentation is filed. Our USCIS family immigration laws help a fiancé(e) immigrate to America. At LaFevor & Slaughter, our Maryville family immigration lawyers help loved ones unite by working with residents of Tennessee who already have a green card or US citizenship sponsor immigrants. We also help immigrants who are seeking their own green cards. We believe families are the backbone of America. We’ll help your full family here.
How can our Maryville immigration lawyers help?
- How do you help immigrants rejoin their families in Maryville?
- What are the benefits of having a green card in Maryville?
- How do you help US green card holders obtain green cards for relatives?
- How do you help US citizens obtain green cards for relatives?
- How do you help refugees obtain green cards for relatives?
- How do you help obtain K-1 (fiancé) visas?
- How does the adjustment of status help family members obtain permanent residency status in America?
- Do you have a Maryville family immigration lawyer near me?
How do you help immigrants rejoin their families in Maryville?
Many of the immigration cases we handle involve helping legal permanent residents and US citizens in Maryville unite with their loved ones from their native countries. We’re proud to have helped so many couples, parents, and children become families again. When immigration laws permit, we also reunite siblings.
At LaFevor and Slaughter, our Maryville family immigration lawyers explain which relatives are eligible to come to America based on the legal status of the sponsor (green card holder, US citizen, and some refugees/asylees). Our lawyers guide you and the family member you’re trying to bring to Tennessee through the application process.
The application process for a green card for family members is very complicated. Different forms must be filed and there are different processing procedures depending on the type of relationship you have with your relative, whether your relative is already in the United States, and the availability of visas if your relative is not in the United States.
- In all family immigration cases, you’ll need to file an I-130 form for each relative to document the family relationship.
- If your relative is in the US based on a lawful visa, we’ll file a Form I-485 to adjust the status of your relative from a visa hold to a green card holder.
- If your relative is not in the US, then once a visa is available based on various preferences and priorities, we’ll help your relative come to America through a process called consular processing. This process essentially involves applying for legal permanent resident status through the US State Department’s consular office in the country where the relative currently lives.
We’ll explain how the availability of a visa process works, which forms need to be filed, how to properly complete the forms, what documents are required, and all other relevant issues that affect your relative’s application for a green card.
Our seasoned Maryville immigration lawyers understand the many different pitfalls and complications that may cause your family member’s application to be denied or delayed. We help you avoid those pitfalls. We’re always ready to answer the questions you and your relative may have about the application process.
What are the benefits of having a green card in Maryville?
Having a green card isn’t the same as being a US citizen but many of the benefits are the same. You can travel through the US, buy a home, obtain loans, and work at almost any type of job you’re qualified to hold.
You can sponsor your spouse and children who are under 21 and who live abroad to come to America. If you are a US citizen, you can bring other relatives to the US depending on the type of relationship you have. Visa holders cannot sponsor relatives for permission to become legal permanent residents of the US – you have to have a green card or be a US citizen.
How do you help US green card holders obtain green cards for relatives?
Your legal status makes a big difference about who you can sponsor for green cards. Please know there are special considerations for members of the military who wish to bring a relative to the United States. We’ll explain these considerations.
If you live in Tennessee (or any US state) and you’re a legal permanent resident (have your green card), you can sponsor:
- Your spouse
- Unmarried children under 21
- Unmarried son or daughter of any age
You’ll need to file a Petition for Alien Relative: I-130 on behalf of your relative with supporting documents, such as proof you are a legal permanent resident, a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or other relative documents; and possibly other evidence such as proof of a name change. There are preference categories depending on whether a child is unmarried or married and a minor or an adult. There are other preferences too.
How do you help US citizens obtain green cards for relatives?
US citizens can sponsor the following relatives for legal permanent resident status (green card status):
- Spouses
- Minor unmarried children
- Sons and daughters (married and/or 21 or older)
- Parents if the sponsor is 21 or older
- Siblings if the sponsor is 21 or older
A US citizen can also sponsor a fiancé(e) residing outside the United States and children of the fiancé(e) under 21. The application request is for a fiancé visa – also called a K-1 nonimmigrant visa.
A US citizen can also seek a K-3 visa for their spouse and a K-4 visa for the unmarried minor children of the spouse.
How do you help refugees obtain green cards for relatives?
Refugees and asylees can petition for spouses and children who are unmarried and under 21 years old.
How do you help obtain K-1 (fiancé) visas?
The K-1 visa, or fiancé visa/K-1 visa, is the USCIS process that allows US citizens engaged to foreign nationals to bring their fiancé and children of the fiancé to America. At LaFevor & Slaughter, our Maryville family immigration lawyers understand the complicated petition process, including the requirement that a K-1 visa has to be for the purpose of getting married and living together – not just to help someone obtain legal permanent resident status in the U.S.
If your fiancé already lives in the US, you don’t need a K-visa. You need to get married and then apply for an adjustment of status for your spouse to a legal permanent resident..
If your fiancé(e) lives abroad, you’ll need to file a Form I-129F- Petition for Alien Fiancé(e). The children of your partner need to be listed on this form too. The key requirements are:
- You must be a US citizen
- You and your fiancé must marry/intend to live together within 90 days of entry into the U.S.
- You and your fiancé must have met in person in the prior two years – unless the meeting would violate cultural customs or result in extreme hardship
After the marriage is finalized, your spouse can apply for a green card
We’re happy to help couples become spouses. We’ll explain and guide you and your intended through the various requirements. We can also help your children obtain green cards.
How does the adjustment of status help family members obtain permanent residency status in America?
Helping your relatives obtain lawful permanent resident status can seem overwhelming. For many Maryville residents, it can be hard to know even where to begin. LaFevor & Slaughter is ready to help. From day one, we’re ready to explain how the family immigration process works. In addition to helping family members who live abroad, we can help family members who are already in the United States because they have a valid visa. We use a process called Adjustment of Status where we petition to have the visa adjusted into a green card. This process means your relative doesn’t have to leave America, go back to their country of origin, and apply from their home country. Your relative can apply for a green card while they are already in Tennessee or any US state.
We help you and your relative who only has a visa:
- Determine if your relative is eligible for a green card
- File the appropriate immigration form, such as the I-130 Petition for Alien Relative form
- Determine if a visa is available
- File Form I-485 to change the status of your relative to a legal permanent resident
- Help the applicant attend their biometrics services appointment
- Help the applicant attend any interviews that may be required
- Follow through with any other information that may be required
Do you have a Maryville family immigration attorney near me?
At LaFevor & Slaughter, our Maryville family immigration lawyers meet clients at our office located at 317 Ellis Ave., Suite 317. We consult with sponsors and immigrants by phone and video conferences when necessary – which is often the case with family immigration because the applicant is often not in America. We understand how anxious and hopeful you are. We’ll explain your rights and fight to help your family live together.
Get help from our experienced Maryville family immigration lawyers today
Husbands and wives should live together. Newlyweds should live together. Parents and minor children should live together. Adult children and married children should live near their parents. The United States does encourage families to stay together. At LaFevor & Slaughter, our Maryville family immigration lawyers have helped many people join their relatives who live in Tennessee by helping them obtain their green cards. We’ll guide you through the complex eligibility and application requirements. To schedule a consultation, please call us now or fill out our contact form today.