Green Card Attorney in Chicago — Permanent Residence
A green card (permanent resident card) grants the holder the right to live and work permanently in the United States. At Liberum Law, our green card attorneys in Chicago help clients obtain permanent residence through employment-based, family-based, investment, and special immigrant pathways.
The green card process typically involves an underlying petition (I-140 for employment, I-130 for family, I-360 for special immigrants), waiting for visa number availability based on preference category and country of birth, and either adjustment of status (I-485) within the U.S. or consular processing at a U.S. embassy abroad.
Our green card practice covers all employment-based preference categories (EB-1 through EB-5), family-based petitions for immediate relatives and preference categories, National Interest Waiver self-petitions, concurrent filing strategies to maximize efficiency, and responses to Requests for Evidence (RFEs) and Notices of Intent to Deny (NOIDs).
Contact our green card attorneys at Liberum Law for a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a green card?
A green card (Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card) is the official document showing lawful permanent resident status in the United States. Holders can live and work in the U.S. indefinitely, travel internationally with certain limits, and apply for citizenship after 3–5 years.
What are the main paths to a green card?
Family-based (spouses, parents, children, siblings of U.S. citizens/LPRs), employment-based (EB-1 through EB-5), investment (EB-5), humanitarian (asylum, refugee, U/T visas), diversity lottery, and special programs (registry, military). Each path has different eligibility, processing, and timelines.
How long does it take to get a green card?
Highly variable: immediate-relative spouses of U.S. citizens — 12–18 months. EB-1/EB-2 NIW — 12–24 months for non-backlogged countries. Employment-based for India/China — 5–15+ years. Family preference categories — 2 to 25+ years. We provide realistic projections at consultation.
Can I travel internationally with a pending green card?
If you filed I-485 (adjustment of status), generally no without Advance Parole (Form I-131) — leaving without it abandons the application. With Advance Parole, you can travel and return safely. Holders of approved green cards travel freely, but extended absences (6+ months) can raise abandonment concerns.
Can my green card be revoked?
Yes — for criminal convictions, fraud in obtaining the green card, extended unauthorized absence, or other grounds. Conditional green cards (marriage-based, under 2 years) can be lost if I-751 is not filed properly. We defend green card holders facing removal in immigration court.
