Twelve steps. We control seven of them and we will not pretend otherwise.
Houston, and nationwide for federal matters
Who controls what, in order.
The right-hand column has no dates in it. That is not an oversight — processing times are published by the agency, they change, and a number invented by a law firm and placed next to theirs would be a guess wearing a suit.
You and us
The agency
- 01Us
Consultation
An hour, paid, on what your options actually are. Some people leave with the answer that no filing is available to them yet, which is worth knowing before spending anything else.
Booked within two weeks
- 02Us
Fee agreement
A fixed figure for the matter, in writing, with what is and is not included spelled out. Nothing starts before you have signed it.
Sent within two working days
- 03Us
Document checklist
The list of everything the government will want, sent on day one rather than month three. This is the single biggest reason cases here move at the pace they do.
Same day as the agreement
- 04You
Gathering documents
Birth and marriage records, tax transcripts, evidence of the relationship or the job. Some of these come from abroad and take months, which is why the list comes first.
- 05Us
Drafting and review
We prepare the forms and the supporting letter, then send you the whole package to read before anything is signed. You will be asked to check the facts, because you know them and we do not.
Two to three weeks after the file is complete
- 06Us
Filing
Submitted with proof of filing sent to you the same day. From this point the file is with the government and the pace is theirs.
Within three working days of your approval
- 07The agency
Receipt notice
The agency confirms it has the filing. Timing is published by the agency and varies by form and service centre. We forward it the day it arrives.
No timeframe from us. Timing is published by the agency.
- 08The agency
Biometrics, if required
An appointment letter with a date and place, issued by the agency. Rescheduling is possible and is done through them.
No timeframe from us. Timing is published by the agency.
- 09The agency
Adjudication
The waiting. Current processing times are published by the agency for each form and office, and they change. We will show you where to check them and we will not put our own number next to theirs.
No timeframe from us. Timing is published by the agency.
- 10The agency
Request for evidence, if one comes
A letter asking for more. It is common and it is not a refusal. The deadline on it is real, so tell us the day it arrives.
No timeframe from us. Timing is published by the agency.
- 11Us
Response to the request
Included in the fixed fee for matters we filed. Drafted, evidenced, and sent well inside the deadline.
Drafted within ten working days of receipt
- 12The agency
Decision
Theirs alone. Nothing on this site predicts it, and any firm that tells you what your decision will be is telling you something they cannot know.
No timeframe from us. Timing is published by the agency.
A great deal of what makes immigration frightening is not knowing which delays are somebody’s fault. So this site splits every matter into the parts a firm can be held to and the parts that belong to a government agency — and puts a commitment against the first kind only.
- Ours and yours
- 7 steps
- The agency’s
- 5 steps
Fixed fees, published.
Agreed in writing before anything begins, split across the stages of the matter, and separate from the government’s own filing fees, which are paid to the government.
Every matter we take- Family petitionsCitizens and permanent residents petitioning for a spouse, child, parent, or sibling.
- $1,900
- Adjustment of statusPeople already in the United States who are eligible to apply for a green card without leaving.
- $3,200
- Consular processingApplicants whose case finishes at a consulate abroad rather than inside the country.
- $2,800
- Employment-based petitionsEmployers sponsoring a hire, and employees moving between sponsors.
- From $4,500
- NaturalisationPermanent residents applying to become citizens.
- $1,400
The checklist comes on day one.
Not after the drafting, not when the agency asks. Some of these records come from another country and take months, and a matter that starts gathering in month three finishes months later than one that started in week one.
- Identity
- Passport biographic page for everyone in the matter
- Birth certificate with a certified translation if not in English
- Any previous immigration documents, including expired ones
- Status and history
- Every entry and exit record you can find
- Prior applications, approvals, and refusals, including ones you think went badly
- Court or arrest records of any kind, however old and however minor
- The relationship or the job
- Marriage certificate, or the evidence a relationship is genuine
- Job offer, position description, and the employer's registration documents
- Tax transcripts for the sponsor, usually three years
This site is general information about immigration procedure, not legal advice, and reading it does not make you a client. Nothing here predicts the outcome of any matter or suggests a government decision can be hurried. Ring (713) 555-0119 to book a consultation.