Lawful immigration to the United States is a long and winding road that can have many pitfalls. Each step of the process, of which there are many, has its own form, fees, rules, and timeline. Many individuals attempt the immigration process on their own without the assistance of an attorney, and some are successful. Others, however, inadvertently miss a step of the process, miss a deadline, or file incomplete records. This can lead to a delay or, at the very worst, a denial of their request to immigrate to the United States. When this occurs, individuals typically seek out the assistance of an attorney to fix what went wrong or, in some cases, simply start over. Hiring an attorney to assist with the immigration process from the beginning can help avoid the usual pitfalls and unnecessary setbacks that can occur while seeking lawful residency in the United States.
Hirst Applegate’s Christine Jordan did just this when she was retained by two separate families to assist with their immigration process in 2022. Christine guided the families through the preparation and filing of a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, for each foreign family member. She then monitored the Forms I-130 while they were pending U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ review. Due to the overwhelming evidence submitted in support of the Forms I-130, all were approved in 2023 without delay.
Christine then assisted the families in preparing and submitting the foreign family members’ immigrant visa applications to the U.S. Department of State. Once the Department of State scheduled the immigrant visa interviews for Summer 2024, Christine ensured the family members updated their documentation, obtained their medical exams, submitted fingerprints, and were fully prepared for their interviews. At the conclusion of their immigrant visa interviews, all foreign family members were immediately approved for their immigrant visas allowing them to travel to the United States to become Lawful Permanent Residents. Christine then advised the families on what to expect when going through U.S. Customs. Due to Christine’s diligent efforts over the past two years, all foreign family members successfully entered the United States and were admitted as Lawful Permanent Residents this August and September 2024.
Even with the foreign family members in the United States as Lawful Permanent Residents, the long journey is not over, and Christine’s work is not done. Christine will educate the new Lawful Permanent Residents on their responsibilities now that they live in the United States, she will provide community resources to the so they can obtain driver’s licenses and learn English, and she will explain when they can apply to become naturalized U.S. citizens.
Christine looks forward to attending their naturalization ceremonies in the future.
If you are interested in becoming a Lawful Permanent Resident or naturalized U.S. citizen and would like Christine’s assistance with your immigration process, you may contact her at 307-632-0541.