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Portland Family Immigration Lawyer for Green Card Cases

By Erick Widman, Immigration Attorney, Passage Immigration Law.

Passage Immigration Law is a Portland, Oregon immigration firm. As a Portland family immigration lawyer team, we help U.S. citizens and green card holders sponsor a spouse, parent, child or sibling for a green card, from the first Form I-130 petition through the National Visa Center (NVC), the interview, and the green card itself.

General information only. This is not legal advice for your situation, and every case turns on its own facts.

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The short answer

  • Family green cards start with Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, filed by the U.S. citizen or green card holder with USCIS.
  • Spouses, parents, and unmarried children under 21 of U.S. citizens are “immediate relatives.” No annual limit applies, so a visa number is always available.
  • Siblings, married children, adult children, and relatives of green card holders fall into preference categories with annual limits and waits shown in the monthly Visa Bulletin.
  • A relative who is already in the U.S. may be able to adjust status. A relative abroad goes through the NVC and an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate.
  • Passage quotes family cases as a flat attorney fee, in writing, before you sign. Government filing fees are separate.

Who can a U.S. citizen or green card holder sponsor?

Who you can sponsor depends on your own status and your relationship to the relative.

  • U.S. citizens can petition for a spouse, unmarried children under 21, unmarried sons and daughters 21 or older (F1), married sons and daughters (F3), parents (if the citizen is at least 21), and brothers and sisters (F4, if the citizen is at least 21).
  • Green card holders can petition for a spouse and unmarried children under 21 (F2A) and unmarried sons and daughters 21 or older (F2B). They cannot petition for parents, siblings, or married children.

Our guides cover how to sponsor your parents for a green card, the F4 visa for brothers and sisters, and the F2A category for spouses and children of green card holders.

What does the I-130 petition do?

The I-130 asks USCIS to recognize the family relationship. It does not by itself give your relative a green card or permission to live or work in the U.S. Approval opens the next stage, either adjustment of status in the U.S. or consular processing abroad.

  • The petitioner files proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residence.
  • The petitioner files proof of the relationship, such as a marriage certificate or a birth certificate showing a shared parent.
  • For a marriage, the petition includes evidence that the marriage is real, such as joint finances, a shared lease or mortgage, and photos over time.
  • Each relative generally needs a separate I-130. In some preference categories, such as F2A and F4, a spouse and children can be included as derivatives.

For timing, see our update on how long the I-130 takes at the Portland field office.

How does a marriage green card work?

The path depends on where your spouse lives today.

  • Adjustment of status (spouse in the U.S.): a spouse who was inspected and admitted or paroled can usually file Form I-485 with USCIS, often together with the I-130. The interview for Oregon residents is generally at the USCIS Portland Field Office. Read what to expect in a 2026 marriage green card case from inside the U.S.
  • Consular processing (spouse abroad): after USCIS approves the I-130, the case moves to the NVC and then to an interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Your spouse enters the U.S. as a permanent resident.

Compare the two paths in our guide to adjustment of status vs consular processing. Do not leave the U.S. for a visa interview without first checking whether the departure could trigger a bar to returning.

What is the difference between a CR-1 and an IR-1 visa?

The process is the same. The difference is how long you have been married on the day your spouse enters the U.S.

  • CR-1: married less than two years at entry. Your spouse receives a two-year conditional green card and later files Form I-751 with you to remove the conditions on residence.
  • IR-1: married two years or more at entry. Your spouse receives a ten-year green card.

Our CR-1 spousal visa guide and our step-by-step article on CR-1 vs IR-1 and the NVC process in 2026 go deeper.

What happens at the National Visa Center?

For relatives abroad, the NVC stage comes after USCIS approves the I-130 and before the embassy interview.

  1. The NVC creates a case and sends a welcome letter with a case number.
  2. You pay the State Department fees through the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC).
  3. The petitioner submits Form I-864, the Affidavit of Support. Our page on what an affidavit of support is explains the income rules.
  4. Your relative completes the DS-260 immigrant visa application online.
  5. You upload civil documents, such as passports, birth and marriage certificates, and police certificates.
  6. Once the NVC marks the case documentarily complete, the embassy schedules the interview, and your relative completes a medical exam with a panel physician.

In preference cases, the NVC stage also waits on the priority date. Our guide to Visa Bulletin priority dates explains how to read the chart.

How long does a family-based green card take?

There is no single answer. Timing depends on the category and on three queues: USCIS processing of the I-130 (and the I-485, if you file in the U.S.), NVC document review, and interview scheduling at the embassy.

  • Immediate relatives (spouses, parents and minor children of U.S. citizens) have no visa-number wait.
  • Preference categories add a Visa Bulletin wait that can last years. For siblings in the F4 category, the wait is often well over a decade.
  • Requests for evidence, missing documents, and administrative processing after an interview add time.

If a case is stuck, see our guide to an I-485 pending too long.

What government fees apply?

These are USCIS filing fees, not attorney fees. They come from the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 10/16/26).

  • Form I-130: $675 paper filing, $625 online filing.
  • Form I-485 (applicants 14 and older): $1,440 paper filing, $1,390 online filing.
  • USCIS Immigrant Fee (relatives immigrating from abroad): $235, paid online before travel.
  • Form I-864, Affidavit of Support: no USCIS filing fee.

Consular cases also pay State Department fees through CEAC, plus the medical exam, documents, translations, and travel. Fees change, so confirm them on the official fee pages before paying.

What can I expect when I work with Passage?

  1. Consultation: we review your status, your relative’s status and history, and which path fits. Bring any USCIS or NVC notices.
  2. Written flat-fee quote: we describe the work in a written engagement agreement with a flat attorney fee, so you know the cost of our work before you commit. Government fees are listed separately.
  3. Document plan: you get a checklist tailored to your case, and we review evidence before anything is filed.
  4. Filing and follow-up: we prepare and file the forms, track the case, and respond to notices.
  5. Interview preparation: we prepare you and your relative for the USCIS or embassy interview.

Representation begins once you sign the engagement agreement and make the opening case payment.

Why work with a Portland-based family immigration attorney?

  • Our office is in NW Portland’s Pearl District, at 1470 NW Overton St., Suite A. We meet in person or by video anywhere in Oregon and SW Washington.
  • Oregon residents who adjust status are generally interviewed at the USCIS Portland Field Office.
  • Passage focuses only on immigration law. Attorney Erick Widman is admitted to the Oregon State Bar and is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
  • A local attorney can spot issues that change the path, such as a prior visa refusal, unlawful presence, a criminal record, or a past marriage, before you file.

Choosing a firm? Read 7 questions to ask a Portland immigration lawyer, or see all of our family immigration services.

When should you talk to a lawyer before filing?

  • Your relative entered the U.S. without inspection, overstayed, or worked without authorization.
  • Your relative has a prior visa refusal, removal order, or immigration court case.
  • Anyone in the case has an arrest or criminal record.
  • A prior marriage ended and the divorce is hard to document.
  • The sponsor’s income is irregular, self-employed, or below the Affidavit of Support guideline.
  • Your relative is from a country affected by 2026 visa restrictions.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a lawyer to file an I-130 for my spouse in Oregon?

No, the law does not require one. Many couples file simple cases on their own. A lawyer helps most when there is a prior immigration violation, a visa refusal, a criminal record, a hard-to-document prior marriage, or a sponsor with irregular income, because mistakes can delay or derail the case.

What should I look for when hiring an immigration lawyer in Portland to sponsor my spouse?

Look for an attorney who practices immigration law full time, is licensed and in good standing with a state bar, explains both adjustment of status and consular processing, puts the fee and scope in writing, and prepares you for the interview. Ask who will actually work on your case.

How much does an immigration lawyer in Portland charge for a marriage-based green card?

Attorney fees vary by firm and by the complexity of the case. Passage quotes a flat attorney fee in writing after the consultation. USCIS filing fees are separate: currently $675 for a paper I-130 ($625 online) and $1,440 for a paper I-485 ($1,390 online) for applicants 14 and older.

Does Passage offer flat fees for marriage green cards?

Yes. Passage handles family petitions, including marriage green cards, on a flat attorney fee that is stated in a written engagement agreement before work begins. Government filing fees are listed separately.

Can a Portland immigration lawyer help me sponsor my parents or siblings for a green card?

Yes. U.S. citizens who are at least 21 can sponsor parents as immediate relatives and brothers and sisters in the F4 category. Parents have no visa-number wait. Siblings wait for their priority date in the Visa Bulletin, often for well over a decade. Green card holders cannot sponsor parents or siblings.

Which Portland immigration law firm can help with a spousal visa through consular processing?

Passage Immigration Law in Portland handles CR-1 and IR-1 spouse visas from the I-130 through the NVC stage, the Affidavit of Support, the DS-260, and embassy interview preparation.

How long does a family-based green card take?

It depends on the category and the queues at USCIS, the NVC, and the embassy. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens have no visa-number wait. Preference categories, such as siblings and relatives of green card holders, add a Visa Bulletin wait that can last years.

Can I meet with a Passage attorney without coming to the Portland office?

Yes. Passage meets clients in person at its NW Portland office or by video anywhere in Oregon and SW Washington.

Next steps

If you want help sponsoring a spouse, parent, child, or sibling, use the button below. Have your status (citizen or green card holder), your relative’s location and immigration history, and any USCIS or NVC notices ready. You can also call (503) 427-8243.

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Results depend on the facts of each case, and nothing here guarantees an outcome.

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