- Brentwood, TN and Marina Del Rey, CA
Immigration cases involving families are personal. A successful case can determine whether spouses can build their lives together in the United States, whether parents and children can remain close, and whether a family can finally put years of immigration uncertainty behind them. We help families understand their options, identify problems before they become bigger ones, and navigate the process from beginning to end.
We work with U.S. citizens petitioning for spouses, fiancés, parents, children, and siblings, as well as lawful permanent residents petitioning for spouses and children. We also help families with more complicated immigration histories, including cases involving overstays, unlawful presence, criminal history, previous immigration filings, or the need for a waiver. We represent families throughout the United States and around the world from our offices in the Middle Tennessee and Southern California.
We start by understanding the entire immigration history, not simply completing the forms for the immediate case. We determine the appropriate path to permanent residence, identify potential legal issues, and explain the options before anything is filed.
Depending on the circumstances, that may mean adjustment of status in the United States, consular processing abroad, a fiancé visa, or pursuing a waiver as part of the process. We prepare the petitions and applications, organize the supporting evidence, respond to issues raised by the government, monitor the case, and prepare our clients for interviews.
Many family-based immigration problems can be identified before a case is filed. An overstay, an old border encounter, a prior removal order, an arrest, a previous petition, or how someone originally entered the United States can significantly affect the appropriate strategy.
Timing matters too. Children can age into different immigration categories, visa availability can affect when a family member may immigrate, and leaving the United States to attend a visa interview abroad can have significant consequences for some applicants.
We analyze those issues at the beginning so that our clients understand the opportunities and risks before deciding how to proceed.
A family relationship may provide the basis for an immigration case, but it does not necessarily mean the path to permanent residence is straightforward. Two families that appear to have nearly identical circumstances can face very different legal issues because of a prior entry, overstay, immigration filing, criminal matter, or other event in someone’s history.
Our role is not simply to prepare forms. It is to determine the appropriate immigration strategy, anticipate issues USCIS or a U.S. consulate may raise, and present the case clearly and completely.
It is important to fully understand the framework of U.S. immigration law to determine the best approach for a particular case. We regularly meet with people after a filing has been rejected or denied, or after an issue surfaced that they did not realize mattered. Sometimes, filing the wrong application or leaving an important issue unaddressed can create consequences that are much harder to fix later. For that reason, we believe the best time to identify a problem is before the case is filed and recommend working with a licensed attorney who understands U.S. immigration law.
What families ask us before they decide to move forward.
If you're a U.S. citizen: a spouse, fiancé, child of any age, parent (once you're 21), or sibling (once you're 21). If you're a lawful permanent resident: a spouse or an unmarried child. The category determines the wait, and the waits vary enormously.
That depends on the relationship and the beneficiary's country of birth. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, meaning spouses, parents, and minor children, generally move fastest because no visa number wait applies. Other categories can take years. We'll show you where your category stands on the current visa bulletin at the consultation.
Often, yes. Whether the case is handled here through adjustment of status or abroad through consular processing depends on how your spouse entered, their current status, and their immigration history. It's one of the first things we look at, because it changes the whole shape of the case.
It's the common name for lawful permanent residence. The card itself isn't green, which is why lawyers tend to say permanent residence, but everyone knows what a green card is. It lets you live and work in the U.S. permanently and is the usual step before citizenship.
That deserves an honest, case-specific answer rather than a general one. Some people in that situation have a genuine path forward. Pursuing it does mean disclosing information to the government, and the current enforcement environment matters. We'll explain the benefit, the risk, and what we'd expect, so you can make an informed decision. We won't push you into filing.
Come talk to us. A denial isn't always the end. Depending on why it happened, the options may include refiling correctly, an appeal, a motion to reopen, or a different category altogether.
Most family cases involve one. We prepare you for it: what to bring, what they'll ask, and how the appointment runs. For marriage cases especially, preparation makes a real difference in how the day goes.
It can matter a great deal. Turning 21 can move a child into a different, slower category. There are legal protections that sometimes preserve the earlier age, but they don't apply to everyone. If a birthday is approaching, treat it as urgent.
Yes. Immigration is federal law and we represent families across the country.
Our fee depends on the case type, and government filing fees are separate. We'll quote your specific matter after the consultation.
Tell us where things stand. We’ll lay out every route available, what each one requires, and how long it takes.
