Marriage-based green card lawyer serving Miami, Hallandale Beach, Aventura, Sunny Isles, Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale. Flat-fee I-130/I-485. Bilingual EN/RU.
Attorney Ekaterina Fitenko represents U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and their foreign spouses through every phase of the marriage-based green card process throughout Florida and nationwide. If you entered the United States lawfully and are married to an American citizen, federal law generally permits you to file for permanent residency through concurrent adjustment of status without leaving the country. With 20+ years in the legal field and admission to The Florida Bar (#1064536), Attorney Fitenko personally manages your case from the initial petition through interview preparation via Google Meet. Our firm provides complete bilingual English and Russian representation, transparent flat fees, and rigorous documentary preparation to prevent unnecessary delays.
To evaluate your eligibility, review your marital documentation, and establish a clear filing roadmap, contact our office at (305) 315-3425 or email fitenkolaw@gmail.com to schedule a comprehensive 30-minute legal consultation for $200.
The legal route your marriage green card follows depends entirely on where the foreign spouse is physically located when the petition is filed, as well as the foreign spouse's immigration and entry history:
When the foreign spouse is already physically present in the United States after a lawful admission or parole, they can typically apply to adjust their status to lawful permanent resident under Section 245(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens—which includes spouses—benefit from a critical statutory protection: under INA Section 245(c)(2), unauthorized employment or technical lapses in lawful status do not bar adjustment of status, provided the applicant was inspected and admitted or paroled into the country. The entire application is adjudicated domestically by USCIS and culminates in an interview at the local Florida USCIS field office.
If the foreign spouse lives outside the United States, the process begins by filing Form I-130 with USCIS. Once USCIS approves the petition, the file transfers to the Department of State's National Visa Center (NVC) for fee processing, submission of Form DS-260, and document collection. The case concludes with an in-person immigrant visa interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the spouse's home country. Upon receiving the immigrant visa and entering the United States, the foreign spouse officially becomes a lawful permanent resident.
To successfully obtain a marriage-based green card, the petitioning couple must establish three fundamental legal elements under federal immigration statutes:
The marriage must be legally recognized in the jurisdiction where it occurred and entered into in good faith—meaning for the purpose of building a shared life together, rather than obtaining an immigration benefit. USCIS officers are trained to identify marriage fraud. Marriages entered into solely for immigration purposes carry severe criminal penalties and create a permanent statutory bar to any future immigrant petition under INA Section 204(c).
The petitioner must be either a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). Spouses of U.S. citizens qualify as "immediate relatives" under INA Section 201(b), meaning there is no numerical quota or waiting list for a visa number; an immigrant visa is immediately available upon approval. Spouses of permanent residents fall under the Family Second Preference (F2A) category, which is subject to annual numerical limits and must follow priority date cutoffs published in the monthly Department of State Visa Bulletin.
The foreign spouse must be legally admissible to the United States under INA Section 212(a). Common grounds of inadmissibility include prior unlawful presence, fraud or willful misrepresentation on prior visa applications, certain criminal convictions, and public health grounds. Where inadmissibility grounds exist, we analyze whether statutory waivers—such as Form I-601 or Form I-601A provisional waivers—are available before filing any petition.
For adjustment of status cases involving the spouse of a U.S. citizen, Fitenko Law prepares and files a comprehensive concurrent package:
Our flat attorney fee for complete representation in concurrent I-130 and I-485 filings starts at $4,000. Standalone Form I-130 representation starts at $2,000. Our flat fees for marriage-based green card representation start at $2,000.
The basic package includes Forms I-130, I-130A, I-485 and the Form I-864 affidavit of support, together with the concurrent application for a work permit (Form I-765) and a travel document (Form I-131, Advance Parole), with no additional attorney fee for those forms. USCIS filing fees for each form are paid separately.
The strength of a marriage-based green card petition rests upon the quality and consistency of the supporting evidence. USCIS evaluates whether couples have established genuine co-mingling of financial, residential, and personal lives.
We work with clients to compile comprehensive evidentiary portfolios, including:
Unless waived by USCIS under current administrative discretion guidelines, both spouses must appear in person for an interview before an immigration officer at the USCIS field office having jurisdiction over their residence.
In Florida, cases are assigned to official field offices based strictly on your residential ZIP code. You can locate your assigned office using the official USCIS Field Office Locator. Florida field offices include:
Attorney Ekaterina Fitenko conducts an intensive mock interview via Google Meet prior to your appointment. We review the questions the officer will ask regarding your relationship timeline, joint finances, living habits, and Form I-485 statutory questions. Read our practical green card interview preparation guide for detailed tips.
Immigration filings carry serious consequences if procedural rules are overlooked. Key risks include:
Fitenko Law represents marriage green card clients across Florida:
Fitenko Law provides clear, transparent flat fees in writing for every engagement:
| Service Description | Attorney Legal Fee | USCIS filing fees (see G-1055) |
|---|---|---|
| Concurrent Marriage Green Card (I-130 + I-485) | From $4,000 | Check current fees: USCIS Form G-1055 |
| Standalone Family Petition (Form I-130) | From $2,000 | Check current fees: USCIS Form G-1055 |
| Removal of Conditions on Residence (Form I-751) | Exact legal fee is determined following your consultation | Check current fees: USCIS Form G-1055 |
| Naturalization After Three Years of Marriage (Form N-400) | From $2,000 (standard cases) | Check current fees: USCIS Form G-1055 |
Note: Processing times vary according to agency workload and service center assignment. View current official timeframes at USCIS Processing Times.
Navigating the green card process requires meticulous attention to detail and direct legal oversight:
Explore our related services on our citizenship lawyer Florida page and our family-based immigration page.
Yes. Once USCIS receives your Form I-485 application and issues the official Form I-797C Notice of Action, the foreign spouse enters a period of authorized stay while the adjustment application is pending, even if their prior nonimmigrant visa status expires.
As part of the concurrent adjustment package, we file Form I-765 for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD). Once USCIS approves the I-765 and issues the EAD card, your spouse can work legally anywhere in the United States and obtain a Social Security number.
If the petitioner's household income falls below 125% of the federal poverty guidelines, federal law permits the use of a qualifying joint sponsor. A joint sponsor must be a U.S. citizen or green card holder residing in the United States who meets the income requirement independently. Household assets can also be considered under strict USCIS conversion rules.
If your marriage is less than two years old on the date your green card is approved, federal law requires USCIS to issue a conditional green card valid for two years. Within the 90 days immediately prior to the card's expiration, the couple must file Form I-751 to remove conditions and obtain a permanent 10-year green card.
Yes. Under federal law, same-sex marriages are treated with full equality for all immigration benefits. The legal requirements, forms, and evidence standards are identical to those for opposite-sex couples.
A K-1 fiancé visa is designed for couples who are not yet married, allowing the foreign fiancé to enter the U.S. to marry within 90 days. A marriage-based green card is for couples who are already legally married. We review both options during your initial consultation to choose the best timeline for your family.
Fitenko Law charges a flat fee starting at $4,000 for concurrent I-130 and I-485 representation with a U.S. citizen sponsor. Standalone Form I-130 filings start at $2,000. Our initial legal consultation is $200 for 30 minutes, paid by credit card via a link sent by the firm, which is credited toward your retainer fee if you engage our firm.
Consult with Florida immigration attorney Ekaterina Fitenko. Available in person at our Coral Springs office, at our Hallandale Beach office by appointment only, or via secure Google Meet video consultation throughout Florida, nationwide and abroad.
Consultation Fee: $200 for 30 minutes (credited toward your legal fee upon retention, paid by credit card via link sent by the firm).
Call our office at (305) 315-3425 or email fitenkolaw@gmail.com.
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