Family-Based Immigration Law

By:  Richard Hanus, Esq. July 30, 2023 The undocumented foreign nationals I meet have been residing in the U.S. for periods ranging from 1 to 35+ years.  They play a role in pretty much every aspect of day to day American life, working as grocery store clerks, mechanics, assembly line workers, home builders, chemists, nurses, caregivers, electricians, truck drivers, restaurant workers, restaurant owners, housekeepers, computer programmers, real estate agents, home health agency owners, landscapers…the list goes on.  Some are even in law or medical school or are earning their Ph.D’s.  Many have families, including children born in the U.S.  Many have [...]

By:  Richard Hanus, Esq. Published July 11, 2023 Last week, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a new program allowing certain Central American relatives of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to enter the U.S. in the immediate future and to complete their resident processing here in the U.S.  To be considered for entry under this program, the foreign national must: 1) be from (and currently residing in) Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala or Honduras, 2) be the subject of an approved I-130 Alien Relative Petition and 3) meet other humanitarian criteria and security/financial support standards. Under current U.S. immigration [...]

By:  Richard Hanus, Esq. May 12, 2023 One of the questions I get asked most frequently has to do with the impact of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident’s death on a pending petition they previously filed for foreign national family, whether waiting overseas or in the U.S.  The answer varies depending on the circumstances, but many of my clients are pleasantly surprised to hear that not all hope should be lost.  As a matter of law, the death of a petitioning U.S. relative generally leads to the automatic revocation or discontinuation of the petition.  However, remedies to reinstate the [...]

Immigrating to the US is a big commitment for those that choose to go through with the process, including for the U.S. petitioning family member. As of 2022, there are about 13 million people in the United States holding green cards. Unfortunately, this is not always a simple process. Obtaining a green card to reside permanently in the U.S. without a qualifying family member to petition you, or without particular job skills and a petitioning employer, can prove to be more than a little challenging. In the realm of family based immigration, if you are a United States citizen or a [...]

Family-based immigration accounts for nearly 65% of annual lawful immigration to the U.S. In recent years, this number has been as high as 85%. Family reunification continues to be the backbone of the immigration system, and despite long backlogs of applications, it's still one of the best ways to immigrate to the U.S. So read on to learn from a Chicago immigration attorney about how to petition a family member for lawful immigration to the U.S. (aka Green Card status) Types of Family-Based Visas Family reunification visas are for relatives of U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs). There are two classes of [...]