Your situation
What are you facing?
Want to bring family to the United States?
U.S. citizens and green card holders can petition for certain relatives. Who qualifies, and how long it takes, depends on the relationship.
He prepares the petition and the proof it needs, including the sponsor’s financial support form.
Ready to apply for a green card or citizenship?
He reviews your history first, so any problem is found before you file, not after.
Then he prepares and files your application, and gets you ready for the interview.
Need a work permit, a renewal, or a replacement card?
Work permits, green card renewals, and replacement documents each have their own forms and timing.
He makes sure the right form is filed, complete, and on time.
Did ICE or an immigration court contact you?
You have rights, including the right to stay silent and to talk with a lawyer before you answer questions or sign anything. Keep every paper you receive.
He can review your papers and explain your options.
None of these? Call and tell him what happened: (617) 265-1767
What happens next
What to do before you file
Keep every document
Passports, green cards, work permits, receipt notices, and every letter from USCIS, ICE, or a court. Keep copies too.
Do not miss a date
A biometrics appointment, an interview, or a court date. Missing one can end your case. Miss a court hearing, and the judge can order you deported without you there.
Do not sign anything you do not understand
Especially papers from ICE. You can ask for a lawyer first.
Tell him everything
Old arrests, past visas, earlier applications, time outside the country. Problems found before filing can often be handled. Surprises after filing are harder.
Be careful with “notarios”
In the United States, a notary is not a lawyer. Neither is an immigration consultant or a paperwork or translation office. Only a licensed attorney, or a representative accredited by the Department of Justice, can give legal advice on immigration or choose which form you file.
How it usually goes
How an application usually goes
Review
He goes through your history and documents before anything is filed, so problems are found first.
Filing
The petition or application, with the proof it needs, goes to USCIS. You get a receipt notice.
Biometrics
For many applications, an appointment for fingerprints and a photo.
Interview and decision
Green card and citizenship cases usually include an interview. He prepares you for it. Citizenship ends with the oath ceremony.
Good to know
- Citizenship
- Most people can apply after five years with a green card, or three years if married to and living with a U.S. citizen. USCIS posts its current processing times online.Source: USCIS: continuous residence and physical presence for naturalization · as of November 2026
- Family petitions
- Spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of adult U.S. citizens have no wait for a visa number. Other relatives wait, sometimes for years.Source: USCIS: green card for immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen · as of November 2026
- Expired green card
- An expired card does not by itself end your status or your permission to work, but it can make proof and travel harder. A 10-year card is renewed with Form I-90; a two-year card needs a different process, removing conditions. Check which one you hold.Source: USCIS: replace your green card (Form I-90) · as of November 2026
General information about U.S. immigration law, not legal advice for your case.
How fees work
- He explains how his fee works before he starts.
- We accept check, cash, Zelle or bank transfer, and installment plans. We do not accept credit cards.
- Consultations are by appointment only. A consultation fee applies, and it is credited toward your legal fees if you hire the firm.
Why choose him
Vy has been through it himself.
A refugee in 1988
He came to the United States as a political refugee at 15, so he knows what the process asks of a family.
Criminal and immigration together
He also practices criminal defense, so he can see how a criminal case could affect your immigration status.
In Vietnamese or English
Forms, interviews, and notices, explained in the language you are most comfortable with.
Lawyer Vy Truong was very helpful to me. He explained complex documents thoroughly. He talks very clearly, and is great with time management, but also very reliable. If you are Vietnamese, I highly recommend him to translate documents, or if you need help with the green card process. I have been a client with him when I first came to America until now when I buy a home, he still does a great job. A kind and knowledgeable man. The staff at the office are very welcoming as well.
Every case is different. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Want to talk it through?Call (617) 265-1767or send a message
Questions about immigration
Immigration
Yes, if your son is unmarried, at any age. His age sets the category: under 21 is F2A, and 21 or older is F2B. Both have a limited number of visas, so there is a wait: check the current Visa Bulletin. If he marries, he stops qualifying, and USCIS revokes an approved petition automatically; it does not come back after a divorce. If you become a U.S. citizen, his case moves to another category: no wait for a visa number if he is under 21 and unmarried, or F1 if he is older. You also sign Form I-864, a legal promise to support him financially. When you meet a lawyer, bring your green card and his birth certificate.
Sources: USCIS: family of green card holders; USCIS: family preference categories; USCIS: Child Status Protection Act; USCIS Policy Manual, Vol. 6, Part B, Ch. 5; USCIS: Form I-864; State Department: Visa Bulletin · as of November 2026
Immigration
It depends on how you qualify and where you file. The husband, wife, parent, or unmarried child under 21 of a U.S. citizen does not wait for a visa number, but USCIS still needs time to review the case, and that time changes from year to year. Other relatives can wait for years. USCIS posts its current processing times online. Vy Truong reviews your case first, so you know which path you are on before you file.
Source: USCIS: green card for immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen · as of November 2026
Immigration
A U.S. citizen or green card holder can file a petition (Form I-130) for a husband or wife. A citizen’s spouse has no wait for a visa number. The spouse of a green card holder may have to wait. The petition has to prove the marriage is real, so the papers you file matter. Vy Truong prepares the petition and the proof, and explains each step in Vietnamese or English.
Source: USCIS: green card for immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen · as of November 2026
Immigration
It can happen. A green card holder can be put in deportation (removal) proceedings, for example after certain criminal convictions or immigration violations. Having a green card does not take away your right to a hearing before an immigration judge. If you get a notice from ICE or an immigration court, do not ignore it. Keep every paper and talk with a lawyer right away.
Immigration
You have the right to stay quiet and to talk with a lawyer before you answer questions or sign anything. Keep every paper they give you.
Immigration
It depends on the relationship and the country. Spouses, parents, and unmarried children under 21 of U.S. citizens usually wait the least. Other family categories can take years.
Source: USCIS: green card for immediate relatives of a U.S. citizen · as of November 2026
Immigration
Yes, but long trips can cause problems. An absence of more than six months can break the continuous residence you need for citizenship, and a long one can raise questions about whether the U.S. is still your home. If you will be away for a year or more, apply for a reentry permit before you leave.
Source: USCIS: international travel as a permanent resident · as of November 2026
Immigration
Sometimes. It depends on the offense, when it happened, and what the court did. Some records can block citizenship or even create a risk of deportation, so have a lawyer review your record before you apply.
Immigration
You can apply on your own. What a lawyer adds is a careful review before you file. An old arrest, a long trip abroad, or a gap in your papers can cause a denial, and some problems, found after filing, can put your status at risk.
Immigration
No. In the United States, a notary public cannot give legal advice. Only a licensed attorney, or a representative accredited by the Department of Justice, can represent you in an immigration case.
General information, not legal advice for your case.
Prefer to listen? Watch Vy explain it: Sponsoring a spouse to immigrate to the U.S. · Sponsoring a relative to immigrate to the U.S.
Not your situation? Related practice areas
Not sure which one fits? Call (617) 265-1767
Your first step
Tell Vy what happened.
Call, in English or Tiếng Việt
(617) 265-1767Or write to him with the formOr write to him with the form- Book an appointment (no walk-ins)By appointment only
- You talk with Vy himselfYou talk with Vy himself
- What you tell him is confidentialWhat you tell him is confidential
Bring what you have. Letters, notices, court papers, a photo ID. If you are not sure something matters, bring it. Coming without papers is fine too.
Bring what you have.
Letters, notices, court papers, a photo ID. If you are not sure something matters, bring it. Coming without papers is fine too.
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