Family Immigration
Practice Areas
Family Immigration
I-601 (Unlawful Presence) Waivers
If you are a U.S. citizen or Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) who is married or engaged to an undocumented immigrant you may think you can easily legalize your spouse. However, this is a commonly believed myth. It can be extremely hard to legalize your loved one’s stay in the United States. When your loved one is labeled as “inadmissible”, you will have to go through many complicated steps to file for a green card. In certain situations, you will have to file an I-601 Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility for your spouse. This will include filing an I-601 […]
I-601A Waiver
The I-601A Provisional Waiver allows a spouse, children, or parents of U.S. citizens to apply for and receive a decision on their waiver application while still remaining in the United States, before departing to their home country for the visa interview. Currently, the provisional waiver is available to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who only need a waiver of inadmissibility for unlawful presence. In order to meet the requirements for an I-601A provisional waiver, you will need to meet all of the following requirements: currently residing in the United States at least 17 years of age Are the principal beneficiary […]
Fiancé(e) Visas (K-1)
If you are a fiancé of a United States Citizen and/or are entering the United States solely to marry, you will be eligible for a fiancé(e) K-1 Visa. A K-1 visa permits the foreign-citizen fiancé(e) to travel to the United States with the intention of marrying his or her U.S. citizen sponsor within 90 days of arrival. The foreign citizen will be able to apply for adjustment of status to a permanent resident with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Because a fiancé(e) visa permits the holder to immigrate to the U.S. and marry a […]
K-3 Visa
A K-3 Visa is usually issued to a non-U.S. Citizen who is married to a U.S. Citizen. Waiting around to gain entrance to the US as an immigrant after getting an immigrant visa can be a time-consuming and difficult process. The spouse or children of a US Citizen can enter quicker by applying for a K-3/K-4 (spouse/children) visa allows immigrants to be processed and granted entrance as nonimmigrants. A K-3 Visa is a non-immigrant multi-entry visa that is typically valid for 2 years. With a valid K-3 visa, the K-3 visa holder may be able to file for […]
The Violence Against Women Act (“VAWA”)
In 1994, a federal law was passed by Congress titled The Violence Against Women Act also referred to VAWA. This federal law is in place to provide protection to those immigrant spouses or children who have been battered by the U.S. Citizen, Lawful Permanent Resident, or even the parent of a U.S. Citizen. It provides these victims with legal stay and employment authorization as access to public benefits. An abused immigrant spouse or child may be able to self-petition in order to gain permanent legal status in the United States by filing a I-360 Form on their own. Who Can […]