Family-based visas take months or years to get. For some countries – especially Mexico, China, India, and the Philippines – there are long backlogs because of quotas, and there’s little you can to do to speed it up. But sometimes delays are caused by lack of knowledge of the immigration process. You can do something about that.

Most of our clients are not near us; many live abroad. Our focus is on immigrants applying for their visas at U.S. embassies abroad, which is known as consular processing. We can prepare the initial application or petition to the embassy or to USCIS (Immigration) in the U.S. and follow through with you at the National Visa Center, your embassy, and other government agencies. We’ll help you prepare for your interview and make sure your documents and legal situation are in order. Attorney Keir worked at the National Visa Center in a non-legal position for two years, which gave her valuable insights into the process there.

Many people think they can save money by doing it themselves or hiring a travel agent, “immigration consultant” or notario to help. Unfortunately, these people are often more expensive than an immigration attorney, and they take advantage of people from their own communities. Don’t be fooled by these people and don’t give them your money. Here’s some good information from the U.S. government on common scams. As a lawyer, Attorney Keir values the ethical requirements of her profession.

When it’s time for you to apply for citizenship, we’ll help you decide if you’re ready to apply. Sometimes applying for citizenship alerts the government to problems with your immigration history and can even lead to deportation. If it’s a good idea, we’ll help with your application.

Immigration services include: nationality and citizenship, deferred action, green cards, deportation and removal, asylum and refugee assistance, non-immigrant and immigrant visas, family-sponsored applications including those based on same-sex marriage, consular processing, visitor, student, and other visas.