Family Immigration Quality representation at affordable prices.

Family Immigration Attorneys in Coppell

Bringing Immigrant Families Together in Dallas/Fort Worth

Many of the immigrant visas issued annually in the U.S. arise from lawful permanent residents regarding their family members. Because this is such a popular avenue of immigration, there has been a lot of abuse and the family immigration process has become more difficult and complicated. Having a dedicated lawyer on your side can help you and your family seek a successful resolution.

Contact Christensen Immigration Attorneys at (972) 497-1017 for the help you need. Our attorney in Texas handles family petitions more than any other immigration matter and we love keeping families together.

Spousal Petitions

If you are currently married to a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, one of the most popular and easiest ways to immigrate is through a petition from a U.S. citizen spouse. The United States wants its citizens and residents to have the right to marry whomever they choose - whether they are from the U.S. or not. Once married, U.S. citizens can file a petition to allow their spouse to immigrate so the family can be together. If both spouses are already here, they will be allowed to adjust their immigration status to a permanent resident.

However, because of the popularity of this program, there have been thousands of people who have abused the process and gotten married “just for the green card.” USCIS now overcompensates by requiring each married couple to prove they are married and prove that the marriage is bona fide. Essentially, the government does not believe you are married just because there is a marriage certificate. They will require you to overwhelm them with other evidence and many legitimate marriages are denied. Because of the scrutiny that USCIS imposes, many immigrants now use an attorney to help them in this process.

The family petition is only the first step for many people in their quest to immigrate to the U.S. to live with their spouse. After the petition is filed, there are many other steps to take depending on your unique situation. It is also important to make sure that filing the petition is a good idea in the first place.

Fiancé Petitions

A K-1 visa allows a U.S. citizen’s fiancé to enter the U.S. in order to get married. The fiancé and petitioner have 90 days to marry, after which the non-citizen fiancé can apply for permanent residency. The fiancé’s children may also apply for green cards through a K-2 nonimmigrant visa if they are under 21 years of age and unmarried. In addition, a K-3 visa allows those who have already married a U.S. citizen the ability to enter the United States while their immigration petition is pending.

To qualify for a K-1 or K-3 visa, a couple must show the following:

The petitioner is a U.S. citizen
The couple intends to get married within 90 days of entering the U.S.
All parties are legally free to marry, meaning any previous marriages have been annulled or terminated by death or divorce
The couple has met in-person within the last two years, except when this violates the customs of the fiancé’s country of origin or the requirement would result in an extreme hardship

Because these requirements can be complicated, it may be easier for a couple to marry first and then apply for a spousal petition. This, however, depends on each individual situation. By scheduling an initial consultation with our Coppell attorneys, we will listen to your needs and let you know your best options.

Immigration Options for Immediate Family

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), visas for family members are divided into two categories: “immediate relative” and “family preference.”

Immediate relative visas apply to the following:

Unmarried children under 21
Spouses
Minor children who have been adopted
Parents of U.S. citizens who are over 21 years old

There is no limit to the amount of immediate relative visas the U.S. government grants annually, meaning the only wait time is the normal government processing time.

Family preference visas are available to the following:

The unmarried children of U.S. citizens who are over 21 years old and their minor children
The minor children, spouses, and unmarried adult children of lawful permanent residents
Married daughters and sons of U.S. citizens and their children and spouses
The siblings of U.S. citizens and their minor children, when the citizen is over 21 years of age

The U.S. sets a limit on how many family preference visas are allocated per year and most of them go to the minor children and spouses of legal permanent residents. Those eligible exceed the number of visas available, so there is a waiting period for those who’ve applied. Visas are then granted in chronological order, so the process could take several years.

Contact Christensen Immigration Attorneys to Discuss Your Situation

Every case is different and USCIS will not move fast. It is best to speak with one of our Coppell immigration attorneys as soon as possible to get the process started. We have helped many families and couples obtain visas and permanent residency and we are passionate about the work we do to help keep families together. We’ll stand by you throughout the entire process.

Call (972) 497-1017 or contact us online to schedule your initial consultation.

Big thank you to mr. Nathan and his office staff This guys are the best law firm you can find very friendly and make you feel like family Very professional this guys worth every penny you pay them highly recommended for everyone need help with their immigration services I couldn’t ask better than the way they treat me!

- Eliav P.

If you are looking for the most amazing, hilarious, down-to-earth and BEST immigration lawyer, NATE is your guy! I met with a few different lawyers before finding Nate and knew immediately he was THE ONE. Nate and his team were absolutely wonderful throughout the whole process and things couldn’t have gone any smoother. They always stayed on top of everything and made everything extremely easy for my husband and I. We honestly didn’t have to worry about a thing. I just received my green card in the mail and we are so thankful to have worked with Nate and his team. One last thing, he is seriously one of the most down-to-earth and hilarious people I’ve ever met in my entire life! You need/want this coolest dude as your immigration lawyer. We will definitely be going to back to him when it’s time for me to apply for my citizenship! Thank you, Nate, for taking great care of us!! :)

- Hyejin K.

We cannot thank this man and his team enough for their exemplary service. Professional and caring, he imparted a great sense of calm to what could have been a very stressful process. We fully recommend!

- Kenny M.

Client Experiences

“I got my citizenship now and the Law Office of Nathan Christensen formed part of my life.”
- Miguel S.
“They turned a long ongoing issue into a positive experience for me within a few months.”
- Eric D.
“They helped me with my residency process and made it very easy.”
- Jacqueline C.
“Nate and his team were absolutely wonderful throughout the whole process and things couldn’t have gone any smoother.”
- Hyejin K.
“Nathan was the only attorney who was able to succeed at what others did not think possible.”
- Antonio H.