Miami, Florida
Immigration Attorneys Serving Miami, Miami-Dade County
Family-based green cards, naturalization, and visa petitions for Florida residents, handled in English or Spanish from our Lutz office. For Miami families, immigration work usually means family-sponsored green cards, naturalization, or fiancé(e) visas. The filings are federal, so where a client lives in Florida rarely changes the paperwork, but it changes which USCIS field office handles the interview.
How we approach immigration matters in Miami
Miami is four hours south of our Lutz office. That distance means almost every Miami matter we handle runs remotely from intake through resolution. David Walkowiak holds Florida Bar Board Certification in Real Estate Law, a statewide credential honored in every Florida county. Gwen Walkowiak drafts Florida estate plans that work as well in Miami Beach as they do in Tampa Bay, because Florida homestead and probate statutes apply the same way across all sixty-seven counties. Miami clients who find us usually come through a referral from someone we closed a deal for years ago in another part of the state.
Miami-Dade County courts and local practice notes
USCIS Miami handles Miami-Dade filings. It is one of the highest-volume field offices in the country, and interviews and biometrics are scheduled locally.
Directions from Miami: Our office is in Lutz, a suburb north of Tampa. For Miami clients, the drive is about four hours south via I-75 and the Florida Turnpike. We almost never ask Miami clients to make that drive. Initial consultations happen by phone or Zoom. Closings run through secure e-signing and wire coordination with the Miami area title company of choice. Strategy calls and document review happen remotely. If an in person meeting is needed, we travel or we meet by video.
About our immigration practice
U.S. immigration law is dense, constantly changing, and unforgiving of mistakes. One missed deadline, one wrong form, or one incomplete filing can set a case back years, or permanently separate a family. Between the two partners, DHW Law brings decades of combined Florida legal experience to immigration matters.
Family-based immigration
Most of the immigration work in a general practice is family-based. The spouse, parent, or child of a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident is seeking to join the family lawfully. We handle:
- Marriage-based petitions. From I-130 through adjustment of status or consular processing.
- Petitions for children and parents of U.S. citizens.
- Preference categories. Siblings, married children, and adult children.
- Removal of conditions on two-year green cards (Form I-751).
- K-1 fiancé visas and K-3 spousal visas.
Every step in the process involves paperwork that has to be right the first time. We review every supporting document, draft cover letters that anticipate examiner questions, and build the record so an interview is a formality rather than a risk.
Naturalization
Eligibility for U.S. citizenship generally requires 5 years of lawful permanent residence (3 for spouses of U.S. citizens), good moral character, physical presence, and passing the English and civics tests. We prepare clients for the interview, review the application for every potential issue, and accompany applicants to the USCIS interview.
Why experience matters in immigration
Immigration law changes constantly. Forms are revised. Filing fees increase. Waiver standards shift with every administration. What does not change is the need for a lawyer who has walked clients through every version of the process. David and Gwen both take immigration matters.
Common questions
Frequently asked about immigration in Miami
Are Miami immigration cases handled locally or federally?
Immigration is federal, so the Miami case file lives with USCIS rather than a local court. We run it from filing through interview, and appeal it if that becomes necessary.
What is the difference between adjustment of status and consular processing?
Adjustment of status is the process of applying for a green card from within the United States. Consular processing is applying from outside the country at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Which one is right depends on how you entered, your current status, and sometimes your travel needs.
How long does a family-sponsored green card take?
It depends on the category. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (spouse, parents, unmarried children under 21) have no visa quota wait. Processing time is typically 12–18 months. Preference categories (siblings, married children, adult children) can wait years or decades depending on country of origin.
Do I need to show up to a USCIS interview with a lawyer?
You are not required to bring a lawyer, but representation meaningfully improves outcomes in interviews, especially for marriage-based petitions where officers look carefully for inconsistencies. We prepare clients thoroughly and accompany them to every interview.
I have a criminal record. Can I still apply for a green card or citizenship?
Sometimes, with the right waiver or rehabilitation showing. Many criminal issues are waivable. Some are not. Do not file anything before having the record reviewed.
Related pages
Continue reading
Talk to a immigration attorney who knows Miami.
Schedule an initial consultation in person, by video, or by phone. We'll explain your immigration options plainly and tell you whether we're the right firm.