Seattle Family-Based Immigration Lawyer Ready To Help You
Whether you are already a U.S. citizen living in the Seattle area, or have obtained lawful permanent residency status and settled in Snohomish County, if you have loved ones living abroad, family unification is likely a top priority for you. Unfortunately, United States immigration law is overwhelming with its many types of restrictions on who can apply to come to this country, including its use of different preferential categories to qualify your family member. The state of Washington has led the way in demonstrating its commitment to tolerance, diversity, and inclusiveness, but there is still much work to be done in federal legislation. Katrina Zafiro at ZafiroLaw is a Seattle family-based immigration lawyer with firsthand experience with visa processes as noncitizens and seeking citizenship in the United States.
You can believe we are deeply empathetic to individuals and families undertaking this process and are here to provide the knowledgeable representation you need to successfully obtain a visa.
What is Family-Based Immigration Law?
In 1965, the Immigration and Nationality Act created a system for noncitizens wanting to live in the United States to qualify. This has primarily focused on the prospective employment or family relationship of the would-be immigrants. The current provisions under this law currently allow natural-born citizens of the United States and lawful permanent residents to bring certain members of their families to this country from abroad.
There is a preference system used when determining which family-based immigrants should be allowed to enter the U.S. How an immigrant will contribute to the communities and economy of our country carry significant weight in the visa process for these individuals.
There are three primary types of family-based visas that you or your loved one may qualify for to come to the United States:
- Immediate Relative Visa
- K-1 Fiancé(e) Visa
- V Visa
When applying for a visa, the family-sponsored preference that your family member falls under should be one of the following:
First Preference
Sons and daughters of a U.S. citizen who are unmarried
Second Preference
Spouses, their children, and/or unmarried adult children of permanent lawful residents
Third Preference
Children of U.S. citizens who are married
Fourth Preference
Foreign siblings of an adult U.S. citizen
If you plan to begin the process of helping your loved one obtain a visa to enter the U.S., a Seattle family-based immigration lawyer at ZafiroLaw can assist you through every step of the process. Our own experience being immigrants and an extensive understanding of state and federal immigration law means you will avoid costly mistakes from trying to do it yourself. We bring years of successful visa case practice to represent your family-based immigration needs.
How a Seattle Family-Based Immigration Lawyer Can Help Your Case
Coming to the United States is an important step in reuniting your family and living your lives together as you always intended. Our legal team truly understands the challenges and anxiety of living so far away from your spouse, children, and other family members.
While there are many ways to get them through the visa process and home with you, there are countless requirements and restrictions that may apply to your loved one’s family-based visa application. ZafiroLaw provides seasoned Washington immigration attorneys who can guide you and explain every step of the process when petitioning for a visa.
We have spent almost two decades helping families throughout Snohomish County, King County and across the U.S. bring their loved ones to the United States. Our legal team can represent any family-based immigration issue, including:
- Fiancé(e) visas
- Naturalization and citizenship
- Immediate relative visas
- Marriage-based Adjustment of status
- Consular processing of your family-based petitions
- Noncitizen spouse entry and permanent residency visas
- Green card visas (Permanent residency) for immediate family members
These situations all require a different course of legal action to accomplish, and our immigration law team has the knowledge and extensive training you need. We always explain every part of the process to give you a complete understanding of what to expect.
A Seattle Family-Based Immigration Lawyer At ZafiroLaw Can Help You
If you are ready to petition the United States Customs and Immigration Service to bring your spouse or immediate family members to the U.S., or have already started the process, working with Seattle-based immigration attorneys like our team at ZafiroLaw is critical. You can trust us to provide you with regular updates and communicate with you about any issues we foresee and what steps can be taken to avoid them.
Our firm knows how the decisions you make during this process will impact your efforts to reunite with your family. We take this reality seriously and do everything possible to ensure everyone is together as quickly as this process allows. With our practice located in Seattle, we are able to offer our services to many communities in the area, including Shoreline, Renton, Issaquah, and Mercer Island.
To learn more about how we can help your particular immigration law matter, please call us at 206-547-9906 or contact us today!