Immigration Law Practice Areas
Godoy Law P.A. focuses on family-based immigration, green cards, citizenship and naturalization, deportation defense, asylum, Temporary Protected Status (TPS), waivers, U Visas, VAWA petitions, and consular processing. We proudly serve clients throughout South Florida, with a primary focus on the Miami area, while also representing individuals and families in immigration matters nationwide.
Click any practice area below to see what is involved. If your situation is not listed, call us anyway – immigration law has more sub-categories than any one page can cover, and we may handle it under one of the broader practice areas.
Services
Providing strategic and effective legal solutions for you
01
Family-Based Immigration
Family petitions are the most common path to a green card in the United States and the heart of our practice. We handle I-130 petitions filed by U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents for spouses, children, parents, and siblings. We also handle K-1 fiancé visas, adjustment of status, and consular processing for relatives abroad.
02
Green Cards (Lawful Permanent Residence)
Green cards through marriage, family, employment, asylum, refugee status, or VAWA. We handle the full process from initial petition through the green card interview and conditional residence removal if applicable. We also represent clients who already have green cards in renewal, replacement, and removal-of-conditions cases.
03
Citizenship and Naturalization
Naturalization through Form N-400 for lawful permanent residents who have met the residency, physical presence, good moral character, and civics requirements. We handle citizenship interview preparation, complex cases involving criminal history or extended absences from the U.S., and derivation of citizenship cases for clients who may already be U.S. citizens without realizing it.
04
Defense in removal proceedings at the Miami Immigration Court and elsewhere. We pursue every available form of relief, including cancellation of removal, asylum, adjustment of status, voluntary departure, and waivers. We also handle for detained clients, appeals to the BIA, and motions to reopen previously closed cases.
05
Asylum
Affirmative asylum applications through USCIS and defensive asylum claims in immigration court. We represent clients fleeing persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or membership in a particular social group. Our asylum work includes withholding of removal and Convention Against Torture (CAT) protection where asylum is unavailable.
05
The Cuban Adjustment Act provides a special pathway for certain Cuban nationals living in the United States to apply for lawful permanent resident status—a green card. Eligibility generally depends on how the person entered the United States, how long the person has been physically present, and whether the person meets other immigration requirements.
06
Waivers of Inadmissibility
Waivers under sections 212(h), 212(i), and other provisions for clients with prior immigration violations, criminal history, or other grounds of inadmissibility. We handle I-601 and I-601A provisional unlawful presence waivers, particularly common in marriage-based green card cases.
07
Humanitarian Visas: U-Visa, T-Visa, VAWA
Self-petitions and humanitarian visas for survivors of crime, trafficking, and domestic abuse. U-Visa petitions for crime victims who assist law enforcement, T-Visa petitions for trafficking survivors, and VAWA self-petitions for spouses and children of abusive U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know which practice area applies to my case?
Many immigration cases touch more than one practice area. A spouse of a U.S. citizen who is also in removal proceedings has a family-based case, a deportation defense case, and possibly a waiver case all at once. Schedule a consultation - we will tell you which forms of relief are realistic and which are not.
Do you handle cases outside the practice areas listed?
Yes. Immigration has dozens of sub-categories. The list above covers the most common case types in South Florida. If your situation involves an area not listed, ask us. Examples include adoption-related immigration, citizenship for children born abroad, juvenile immigrant cases (SIJ), and consular processing for specific visa categories.
Can one case file involve multiple practice areas?
Yes, and many do. Asylum cases often run parallel to deportation defense. A green card application can require a waiver. A naturalization interview can surface old removal orders. We prepare each case looking at all available forms of relief at once, not just the obvious one.
