Chicago Visa Attorney

Visiting or coming to work in the United States requires a visa for anyone who is not a United States citizen. The range of visas available is long, and which one is appropriate for you depends on your individual circumstances. Whether you are applying for a visit, work, or some other immigration visa, you will need to go through a complex immigration system that can be tedious and often frustrating. 

At Ahlgren Law​, we have experienced immigration attorneys who have been serving our immigration clients in the Chicago area since 1973.

We are a full-service immigration and nationality law firm that represents families and individuals in a variety of immigration matters. If you have a need for a visa, it is wiser to have the services of an immigration lawyer who knows and understands not just the law but the ins and outs of obtaining the visa with no hustles or unnecessary delays.

Types of Immigration Visas

Visas are available under two broad categories, and these are employment-based and family-based visas. Each of these categories is further subdivided into numerous subcategories that correspond to specific requirements meant for each of those subcategories. In some cases, an individual’s purpose for seeking a visa can overlap one or more subcategories, which can be confusing as to which visa one should pursue. If you are not sure what is the right visa for you, we can help you figure that out.

The Visa Application and Approval Process

Whether one seeks an employment-based or family-based immigration visa, the process is generally the same. In both cases, the process of securing the visa starts with a sponsor filing a petition. A sponsor is either an employer or family member who is a United States citizen or lawful permanent resident (green card holder). In some cases, an individual can be self-sponsoring, meaning they do not need an employer or family member to file a petition for them; rather, they file the necessary documents themselves if they qualify to sponsor themselves.

If the visa being sought is a temporary employment visa, meaning a visa for which the person approved will enter and work in the United States for a specified period, then the foreign worker will apply for a visa at a consulate in their country when the visa petition is approved. For visas in this category, the hardest part, and one many fail to get past, is getting the visa petition approved. 

If the visa being sought is a green card and the visa is “current,” then the petition can be filed concurrently with the application for a green card. A visa is current if the petition is for a category for which a visa is immediately available. Because of the backlog in processing visa applications, some visas are not available for years, while others are immediately available.

Speak with a Chicago Visa Attorney

If you are in the Chicago area, do not risk having your visa petition or application denied because you did not show that you meet the requirements of the law for the visa. Contact Ahlgren Law​ today to schedule a consultation.