Now more than ever, same-sex couples and members of the LGBTQ community have the chance to immigrate to the United States. However, there are still important documents and laws for LGBTQ immigrants in Lombard that may affect an application standing with USCIS.
To increase your odds of a successful application, talk to a lawyer with unique case experience. An experienced attorney could gather evidence required by the USCIS, file any necessary paperwork on your behalf, and vet the potential routes available to you for a successful outcome. Reach out and start the application process today.
Among the more important laws for LGBTQ immigrants in Lombard, DOMA has perhaps affected the most applicants over the years. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was a federal law that prevented same-sex marriages from being recognized for immigration purposes. That is how it affected immigration as a general federal law. It has been overruled and now same-sex marriages are considered for immigration purposes as a marriage that would benefit from an immigrant visa.
Form I-130 is the USCIS form used to file the immigrant’s petition. The information that goes into the I-130 is information on the petitioner, who is usually a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident as well as the beneficiary who would be the immigrant that people are seeking to get the immigration visa for. An attorney could help LGBTQ clients with filling out the I-130 and also with handling any of the questions posed by the government after the I-130 is filed, like any request for evidence.
An immigration lawyer from Lombard could also help with making sure that applicants get started on the right foot with the government by giving the correct information so that their I-130 could be approved. If their I-130 is denied, they would still have the opportunity to potentially ask for it to be reopened or reconsidered. That would be something that an attorney could help them file. They could also consider starting over with a new petition.
The types of documentation LGBTQ individuals should have available when filling out Form I-130 include their marriage certificate, passport, and birth certificate. They would want to have any divorce judgments or documents showing the termination of prior relationships. They would also want to have marriage bona fides or any other documents instructed to be included with their application.
An LGBTQ immigration lawyer could help them to obtain all of these documents and to prepare them in the manner that the government should be able to approve their case.
In the past, the United States has enacted and passed laws for LGBTQ immigrants in Lombard. Important documents were once required that would vet LGBTQ couples and, often, deny them entry based on sexual orientation. Since the repeal of DOMA, same-sex immigrants now have more of a chance than ever to successfully immigrate to the United Sates.
Reach out to a lawyer who could help you do just that.