Getting married is often treated as a lifelong commitment. Spouses agree to support one another regardless of changes to their economic circumstances or health. They usually live together and may raise a family together. Some people have an easy time beginning their...
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Legal Advocates
Family Immigration
What are the wait times for different family-based visa categories?
Families often find themselves separated by borders in today’s dynamic and interconnected world. To bridge these gaps, the United States offers a range of family-based visa categories that allow eligible individuals to reunite with their loved ones. Familiarizing...
What is an immediate relative for family immigration purposes?
U.S. immigration law is strict about who can and cannot live and work in the United States lawfully, so it is critical to understand how the process works and what it entails. Family member priority The U.S. government prioritizes immediate relatives of U.S. citizens...
How to bring your fiancée to the United States
If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident in Maryland and you have fallen in love with someone from another country, you may be considering bringing your fiancée to the United States. The process of sponsoring a foreign national for a fiancée visa, commonly...
Family-based immigration and stepchildren
Whether you are your children's biological parent or not, you love them and want them to join you in the United States. Blood relations do not affect your parent-child relationship. But whether they are your natural-born kids or stepchildren matters as far as U.S....
What to know about family-based Green Cards
In certain cases in Maryland, green cards are available to noncitizens with relatives who are citizens in the United States when the individual is a lawful permanent resident. This process of becoming a lawful permanent resident under immigration law in the United...
Who is eligible for a family-based green card?
Many immigrants who venture to the United States tend to settle in Maryland, Washington D.C. and Virginia. The combination of ample opportunities, a pleasant place to live and the proximity to the nation’s capital are just some of the reasons for this. Getting a green...
Helping your fiancé immigrate to the US
US citizens can bring a foreign fiancé into the country by filing Form I-129F, Petition for Alien Fiancé. This initial form is the precursor to helping your fiancé obtain a K-1 nonimmigrant visa, also called a fiancé visa. After successfully obtaining a fiancé visa...
Trump may soon end DACA program
Some Maryland residents may be concerned to learn that President Donald Trump may choose to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, also known as DACA, by Sept. 5. According to media outlets, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has threatened to sue the...
A permanent bar could cause unexpected issues for families
When a person comes to the United States without proper documentation or a visa, he or she may find a way to live in the country without detection for a time. In some cases, the person may marry and have children with a citizen of the United States. Obtaining a...