Family-Based Immigration
Petitioning for a qualifying spouse, child, parent, sibling, or other eligible relative.
- I-130 family petitions
- Consular processing
- Spouses, children, parents, and siblings
Immigration services in Lubbock, Texas
A Clear Legal Strategy for the Future You Are Building.
Immigration can affect your family, work, safety, and future. We help you understand your legal options before you file. We also explain the risks, so you can move forward with a clear plan instead of guessing.
We begin with the facts. If there is a realistic path forward, we will explain it clearly. If there is not, we will tell you honestly.
Truth before paperwork.
A thoughtful legal review should come before forms, fees, or
promises.
Immigrant-Led Personal understanding supported by legal experience.
English & Spanish Clear bilingual guidance for individuals and families.
16+ Years Focused exclusively on United States immigration law.
Truth-First Advice Realistic options, risks, timelines, and next steps.
Full-service immigration guidance
Immigration Paths Organized Around Your Life, not Just a Form.
Your goal may be to reunite with family, get a green card, work, study, fix a past immigration issue, or become a United States citizen.
Each path has its own rules, documents, deadlines, and risks. The right option depends on your history. Before you file, you should know which path may apply and what problems could affect your case.
We start with the truth.
Before we recommend a strategy, we review the facts that may affect your case. This can include your goals, immigration history, family ties, entries and departures, past filings, and criminal history.
Immigration services
Find the Service That Best Matches Your Immigration Goal.
These categories are a starting point. You may qualify under more than one area. The right strategy depends on your full history and current situation.
Family & Permanent Residence
These services can help families stay together and pursue permanent residence. They can also address issues tied to a prior entry, past filing, or immigration history.
Green Cards
Green card planning for people who may qualify through family, employment, humanitarian relief, or another legal category.
- Eligibility and evidence review
- Permanent-residence applications
- Inadmissibility and history screening
Adjustment of Status
Applying for a green card from inside the United States when the person is legally eligible.
- Lawful-entry and eligibility review
- Marriage-based adjustment
- Interview and supporting-evidence preparation
Fiancé Visas
K-1 visa guidance for qualifying United States citizens and their foreign-citizen fiancé or fiancée.
- K-1 petition preparation
- Relationship evidence
- Consular and post-entry planning
DACA to Green Card
Reviewing whether a DACA recipient may have a lawful path to a green card through family, work, travel history, or another option.
- Entry and travel-history review
- Qualifying family relationships
- Adjustment or consular options
LGBTQ+ Immigration Services
Clear and respectful immigration guidance for LGBTQ+ couples, spouses, families, and individuals.
- Same-sex marriage petitions
- Family-based immigration
- Protection and humanitarian considerations
Work, Study & Temporary Travel
Immigration options for workers, employers, students, and visitors. We also help people review whether they can extend or change a lawful temporary status.
Employment-Based Immigration
Immigration guidance for professionals, employers, executives, specialized workers, and people seeking an employment-based green card.
- H-1B, O-1, L-1, TN, and related classifications
- PERM and employer sponsorship
- EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 green-card categories
Visa Services
An overview of visa options for family, work, study, travel, and humanitarian needs.
- Visa-category comparison
- Consular-process planning
- Prior denial and admissibility review
Visitor Visas
Guidance for qualifying temporary business or tourism travel and related status questions.
- B-1 and B-2 visa guidance
- Extensions and change-of-status review
- Overstay and immigrant-intent considerations
Student Visas
Support for students seeking to begin, maintain, extend, or change a lawful student status.
- F-1 student visa applications
- Status maintenance and extensions
- Change-of-status analysis
Protection, Waivers & Citizenship
Legal review for humanitarian relief, past immigration problems, prior denials, removal concerns, and citizenship. We also review issues that could make a person ineligible to enter or receive status.
Humanitarian Relief
Protection-based immigration options for people whose facts may qualify under humanitarian laws.
- Asylum matters
- U visas and VAWA petitions
- Temporary Protected Status and related relief
Immigration Waivers
Reviewing whether a waiver may help with unlawful presence, misrepresentation, certain criminal issues, or another legal barrier.
- Unlawful-presence waivers
- Qualifying-relative and hardship evidence
- Prior immigration violation review
United States Citizenship
Citizenship guidance for green card holders who want to review eligibility and prepare Form N-400.
- N-400 application preparation
- Interview and civics-test preparation
- Criminal, travel, and Selective Service review
Prior Denial or Removal Concern
A prior denial, removal order, unlawful entry, overstay, or court case can change your options. These issues should be reviewed before you file again.
- Prior application and decision review
- Removal and court-history screening
- Possible relief or waiver analysis
Who we serve
Guidance for People Who Need a Real Legal Plan.
Many clients come to us after receiving conflicting advice. Some are not sure what to do next. Others worry that one immigration mistake could affect their family or future.
We review your situation and explain your options, possible risks, and appropriate next steps in clear language.
GET MY FREE INITIAL ASSESSMENTFamilies seeking reunification
United States citizens and green card holders who want to petition for an eligible spouse, child, parent, sibling, or other relative.
Long-term residents seeking permanent status
People who have lived in the United States for years and want an honest review of possible legal options.
Professionals, employers, students, and visitors
People and employers dealing with work visas, employment-based green cards, study, travel, or changes of status.
People seeking protection or humanitarian relief
Survivors, crime victims, and others whose facts may support a humanitarian or protection-based immigration option.
People with prior immigration complications
People concerned about unlawful presence, an overstay, criminal history, a prior denial, removal history, or another legal barrier.
Permanent residents ready for citizenship
Green-card holders seeking a complete naturalization review before filing Form N-400.
Important legal considerations
What Should Be Reviewed Before an Immigration Filing.
An immigration filing can affect more than one application. Your history, travel, deadlines, and past filings may change the result. Review these issues before you submit anything.
Entry and Overstay History
How you entered the United States matters. How long you stayed can matter too. These facts may affect a green card, consular processing, travel, or the need for a waiver.
Prior Applications or Denials
Past petitions, visa applications, immigration cases, and government decisions can affect a new filing. Review those records before you apply again.
Criminal and Arrest History
Arrests, charges, convictions, and even dismissed cases may need to be disclosed. Criminal history can affect immigration eligibility, so review it before filing.
Travel and Departure Risks
Leaving the United States can create serious problems for some applicants. A pending case does not automatically make travel safe.
Deadlines and Status Maintenance
Immigration cases have important dates. Track visa expiration, court dates, response deadlines, work permits, address changes, and requests for evidence.
Notario or Unlicensed Advice
Wrong filings, false statements, and missing evidence can cause long-term problems. Be cautious of anyone who promises a guaranteed result.
Our process
A Structured Path from Questions to a Legal Plan.
The process starts with your situation. You do not need to choose a form or legal category on your own.
Tell us about your situation
Complete the initial assessment with the key facts. Tell us about your goals, family, immigration history, entries, past filings, and main concerns.
We identify the issues that require legal review
We review your information to see whether a consultation may help. We also identify records or questions that should be addressed.
Your options, risks, and next steps are explained
We explain possible eligibility, needed documents, the usual process, timing, and known risks. We also discuss other legal options that may apply.
The case is prepared and managed with care
If representation begins, our team organizes the case. We coordinate evidence, forms, deadlines, filing, communication, and preparation for later stages.
A professional legal experience
Immigration cases involve much more than filling out forms. Your Case Requires More Than Completing Paperwork.
Immigration cases involve more than forms. Evidence must be collected and documents must be reviewed. Deadlines also matter, and clients may need to prepare for government questions or interviews.
Our team keeps these steps organized and helps clients understand what happens next.
Organized case preparation
Forms, evidence, statements, records, and supporting documents should work together as one legal strategy.
Team coordination
Legal and administrative tasks are organized so responsibilities, records, and next steps remain clear.
Clear communication standards
Clients should understand what is happening, what is needed, and what can or cannot be predicted.
No false promises
No lawyer can guarantee a government decision or timeline. Legal advice should be realistic and based on the available evidence.
Continue your research
Immigration Resources Built to Help You Make an Informed Decision.
Learn about the firm, read client experiences, and review practical immigration resources before choosing your next step.
Case Studies
Review examples of immigration matters and the legal issues that shaped each client’s path.
View Case StudiesTestimonials
Read what clients say about communication, guidance, and their experience working with the firm.
Read TestimonialsGuides & Workbooks
Access practical immigration guides designed to help families understand risks, questions, and next steps.
View Free GuidesMeet the Team
Learn more about Gilda McDowell, the firm's background, and its approach to immigration cases.
Learn About the FirmFrequently asked questions
Clear Answers to Common Immigration Questions.
These answers are general information only. Your options depend on your own history, status, location, family relationships, and past filings.
GET MY FREE INITIAL ASSESSMENTHow can I bring a family member to the United States?
The process depends on several facts. These include the petitioner's status, the family relationship, where the relative lives, visa availability, and any immigration problems.
Common family options include an I-130 petition, consular processing, adjustment of status, or a fiancé visa. family-based immigration services for more information.
Can I work while my immigration case is pending?
A pending immigration case does not automatically give permission to work. Work authorization depends on the type of case, current status, and whether the person already has a valid work permit or another work-authorized status.
Do not assume that a pending case gives you permission to work. Work only when you have valid authorization. For more details, see our work permit and Form I-765 guide.
What can I do if my visa application was denied?
First, identify why the case was denied. The next step depends on that reason. Options may include fixing missing evidence, filing again, asking for reconsideration when allowed, seeking a waiver, or reviewing a different immigration option.
Filing again without understanding the first problem can lead to another denial. It can also create conflicting records.
How long does the immigration process usually take?
Processing times vary from case to case. The timeline can depend on the category, agency, filing location, visa availability, background checks, evidence requests, interviews, and case complexity.
A lawyer can explain the usual stages and current expectations. No lawyer can guarantee a processing time or final result.
What determines eligibility for a visa or green card?
Eligibility depends on the facts of the case. Relevant factors may include family ties, a job offer, education, humanitarian needs, lawful entry, immigration history, financial sponsorship, visa availability, and legal barriers.
A complete review should occur before relying on a single eligibility factor.
Can someone who has been undocumented for years still have an immigration option?
Possibly. But living in the United States for many years does not create legal status by itself. An option may depend on family ties, how you entered, past travel, humanitarian facts, crime-victim eligibility, removal history, waivers, or other facts.
The safest approach is an individualized review before filing or departing the United States.
Your next step
Start with a Free Initial Assessment.
Tell us your immigration goal and current situation. Your answers help us identify the next step.
- Share the key facts about your immigration matter.
- Help us understand the legal issue you need reviewed.
- Receive direction regarding the appropriate next step.
Tell Us About Your Situation
Complete the form as accurately as you can. Sending it does not guarantee representation or any legal result.
Important:
This assessment is not legal advice and submitting it does not create
an attorney-client relationship. Do not rely on form submission to
preserve a filing, court, appeal, visa, or immigration deadline.