Family · Green cards · VAWA
Family petitions and green cards
For the people you want beside you here: a spouse, a parent, a child, a brother or sister.
A family case starts with one question: who is asking for whom. A U.S. citizen can petition for more relatives than a resident can, and some relatives wait years for a visa number while others don't wait at all.
At the consultation I'll tell you which line your family is in, how long it tends to run right now, and whether the person you're petitioning for can finish the process here or has to go to a consulate abroad.
What I file
Six family cases I handle every week
Spouses
Petitions for a husband or wife, with the proof of a real marriage that the interview asks for.
Parents and children
Citizens petitioning for parents, and residents or citizens petitioning for sons and daughters.
Brothers and sisters
Petitions from adult citizens for their siblings, with a plan for the long wait.
Green card from here
Adjustment of status for relatives who can finish the process without leaving the U.S.
Green card from abroad
Consular processing, from the first forms to practice for the interview at the consulate.
Waivers
Forgiveness for time out of status or past entries, when the law allows one and the facts support it.
VAWA and U visas
If someone at home is hurting you
You don't need an abusive spouse or parent to sponsor you. The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) lets the abused husband, wife, child or parent of a citizen or resident apply on their own, and the law covers men as well as women. Your abuser isn't told.
A U visa is for victims of certain crimes who help, or are willing to help, the police or a prosecutor. It can lead to a green card after a few years.
- Your file stays confidential, and we choose together the safest way to reach you.
- We talk by phone, at the office or by video, whichever is safest for you.
- If you need to leave this site quickly, use the Quick exit button at the top of the page.
If you are in danger right now, call 911. The National Domestic Violence Hotline answers at 1-800-799-7233, in English and Spanish.
Questions
Family petition questions
I'm a resident, not a citizen. Can I still petition?
Yes, for a husband or wife and for unmarried sons and daughters. Once you become a citizen you can petition for more relatives, and some waits get shorter.
My spouse entered without papers. Is a green card possible?
Sometimes, from here or through a waiver and an interview abroad. It depends on how and when they entered, so this is the first thing we look at together.
Can my abuser find out about a VAWA case?
Immigration doesn't contact the abuser about a VAWA self-petition, and the law protects your file. We'll plan how to reach you safely.
Let's map out your family's petition
Bring the birth and marriage certificates you have. We'll work out the rest at the consultation.