FAMILY VISA PETITIONS

ILS assists persons to obtain immigrant visas so they may unite with family members already living in the U.S.
A United States Citizen may petition for his/her:
Spouse Children (including step-children)
Siblings Parents

A Lawful Permanent Resident of the U.S. may petition for his/her:
Spouse Unmarried sons and daughters
Waiting times differ depending on what family relationship the petition is based on and the nationality of the beneficiary.

ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS APPLICATIONS
If a person wishing to immigrate to the U.S. is already in the U.S. and has an approved family-based petition for which the priority date is current, he/she may be eligible to apply for adjustment of status with the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Complete consultations are necessary to assess an individual's eligibility for adjustment of status. Not everyone qualifies for adjustment of status.

CONSULAR VISA PROCESSING
Persons outside the United States and certain persons in the United States conclude the processing of their visas at American consulates abroad. ILS can help these persons with the final documentation necessary for consular visa appointments.

REPRESENTATION OF ABUSED IMMIGRANT WOMEN & CERTAIN CRIME VICTIMS
Special provisions in the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) allow abused immigrant women and children to self-petition for permanent residency without relying on the abuser=s participation in their case. ILS assists such persons in applying for permanent residency under these special provisions.

NATURALIZATION SERVICES
ILS accredited staff is available to help persons determine their eligibility for United States citizenship. Basic requirements for U.S. citizenship include:
Lawful Permanent Residence in the U.S. for at least 5 years (3 years if married to a U.S. citizen);

Actually reside in the U.S. for at least one-half of the last five years;

Good moral character;

Basic knowledge of U.S. history and civics;

Ability to understand, speak, read and write basic English.

DEPORTATION REPRESENTATION
ILS attorneys and accredited staff represent persons who are in deportation proceedings in the Dallas Immigration Court. We represent detained and non-detained persons. ILS staff is not available for representation in other jurisdictions. ILS maintains a referral list of immigration specialists for persons whom it is unable to represent.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION EDUCATION
Under a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, ILS conducts extensive outreach throughout North Texas about provisions in the law which protect workers from immigration-related employment discrimination. ILS staff is available to make presentations to groups of workers, to employers, and to other service providers. In cases of immigration-related employment discrimination, ILS staff is available to guide persons in filing discrimination claims