The Family Petition Guide
Who you can petition for, what each relationship requires, how consular processing differs from adjustment of status, and the documents to start collecting today.
Resources
Tools for Your Case
Guides, official forms and answers to the questions we hear every week — free, and available in English and Spanish.
Free Guides
Download Our Guides
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Preparing for Your Naturalization Interview
What the officer actually asks, how the civics and English portions are scored, the records to bring, and the issues that commonly cause a case to be continued.
If You Receive a Notice to Appear
What removal proceedings are, what happens at a master calendar hearing, the forms of relief that may be available, and what to do in the first week.
Work Authorization: A Practical Overview
Which categories qualify for an employment authorization document, how renewal timing works, and what to do when a permit expires before the renewal arrives.
Official Forms
USCIS Forms
Direct links to the official USCIS pages. Always download forms from uscis.gov — never from a third-party site that charges for them.
USCIS forms are free. If a website charges you to download a form, leave it. Filing fees are paid to USCIS directly, never to an intermediary.
Form I-130
Petition for Alien Relative
View on uscis.govForm I-485
Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
View on uscis.govForm N-400
Application for Naturalization
View on uscis.govForm I-765
Application for Employment Authorization
View on uscis.govForm I-589
Application for Asylum and for Withholding of Removal
View on uscis.govForm I-90
Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card
View on uscis.govFrequently Asked
Questions We Hear Every Week
How much does a consultation cost?
Consultations are a flat fee, quoted up front, and can be paid online before your appointment. The fee covers a full review of your immigration history and a written summary of the options actually available to you. If you retain the firm afterward, the consultation fee is credited toward your case.
How long will my case take?
It depends entirely on the type of case and current government processing times, which change constantly. Any attorney who guarantees you a specific date is guessing. What we can do is give you the current published times for your category and tell you honestly where the realistic range falls.
Can you guarantee my case will be approved?
No — and neither can anyone else. Approval is decided by USCIS, a consulate or an immigration judge, not by your attorney. What a good attorney changes is the strength of your filing, the errors avoided, and the arguments made on your behalf. Be very careful with anyone who promises a result.
Do I need a lawyer, or can I file on my own?
Straightforward cases with clean histories can sometimes be filed without counsel. But if you have any prior removal order, criminal history, unlawful presence, a prior denial, or a previous filing with inconsistent information, get advice before you file. Fixing a bad filing is far harder than preparing a good one.
What is a notario, and why the warning?
In many Latin American countries a notario público is a licensed attorney. In the United States a notary public is not — a notary can witness signatures and nothing more. Anyone who is not a licensed attorney or an accredited representative cannot legally give you immigration advice or represent you. Cases damaged by notario fraud are among the hardest to repair.
Do you handle cases outside Florida?
Yes. Immigration is federal law, so an attorney licensed in any state may represent clients before USCIS and the immigration courts nationwide, as well as at consulates abroad. Much of the process can be handled remotely.
What should I bring to my first consultation?
Any immigration documents you already have: passports, prior applications and receipt notices, approval or denial letters, court documents, and your entry records if you have them. If you are not sure whether something is relevant, bring it. Incomplete history is the most common reason a strategy has to change midway.