Family Immigration Services

“I was a stranger and you welcomed me.”
- Matthew 25:35

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Family Immigration Services

Reliable, trustworthy, dependable staff that can help navigate immigration, family reunification, and pathways to citizenship.

What We Do:

  • Immigration consultations
  • Family reunification
  • Pathways to citizenship
  • Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
  • Resources for immigrants

USCIS Case Status Tools:

Family Immigration Services

Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri Family Immigration Services provides low-fee immigration legal services as a way to reunite families and promote self-sufficiency for immigrants.

When you come to our agency for help, you’ll be treated with dignity and compassion by our reliable, responsive and trustworthy DOJ Accredited Representatives. Click here to learn more about DOJ accreditation, and why it is important for clients and colleagues alike. When you seek services in our office you can expect confidentiality, respect, and top-quality immigration legal services.

Established in 1975, the Family Immigration Services office was once situated within diocesan offices in the Diocese of Jefferson City as the Office of Refugee and Immigration Services. This core program was incorporated into Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri at its founding in 2011.  In 2020, due to increasing demand for both refugee resettlement and immigration legal services, the single program was split into the Refugee Services program and the Family Immigration Services program. Today, we continue to serve those seeking legal assistance: in 2021 our office opened 290 new cases with individuals from 38 countries, and conducted thousands of free consultations, as we do each year, in addition to our caseload.

Legal Services

  • Immigration legal consultations
  • Immigration form preparation of documents and payments
  • Obtaining Lawful Permanent Residence (Green Card)
  • Family petitions (I-130s)
    • U.S. Citizen (USC) 
    • Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR)
  • Family unity petitions
  • Fiancé petitions
  • Naturalization applications 
    • For adults 
    • For minors entitled to citizenship through parents
  • Employment Authorization Documents (EAD)
  • Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)
  • Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Requests
  • USCIS Fee Waivers (if eligible)
  • Overseas Consular processing
  • Travel documents
    • Re-entry permits
    • Refugee travel documents
    • Advanced parole documents
  • Referrals for U Visas, T Visas and relief under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA)
  • Refugee petitions (I-730s)
  • Adjustment of status for refugees and asylees

Immigration Resources

Know Your Rights (CLINIC)

For families separated by Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

Local (Boone, Callaway and Cole Counties)

 

Amal (002)

Watch: Catholic Charities featured on Radio Friends with Paul Pepper

Grace Wildenhaus Paul Pepper

Radio Friends with Paul Pepper: Catholic Charities Refugee & Immigration Services

Recently the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) office announced delays in case processing times.
Please know that your case is very important to our staff but it may take 3-5 business days to return your call.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Department of Justice (DOJ) accredited representative is a non-attorney who has demonstrated to the Department of Justice that they have enough education and experience in immigration law to provide immigration legal services.

It is crucial that clients seeking immigration legal services from non-profits, like CCCNMO, work with DOJ accredited representatives because:

  1. US Immigration law is complicated and changes frequently. DOJ accreditation requires that accredited non-profit staff keep up-to-date with the changing landscape of immigration law. The accreditation program does this by ongoing educational opportunities and extensive trainings.
  2. DOJ accreditation allows non-profit representatives to practice law. Many immigration clients seeking services at CCCNMO are here because a traditional licensed attorney may not be accessible to them, due to cost, location or availability. DOJ accredited representatives can practice law to the same extent as a licensed attorney, whereas non-accredited staff can only advise and refer for legal help.
  3. DOJ accreditation ensures quality services are delivered to clients. Accreditation is a rigorous process, renewing every three years for individuals and every five years for our agency. The ability to maintain our accreditation speaks to our experience and expertise in immigration law, ensuring you receive top-quality services from our staff.

If you are seeking immigration legal services, we urge you to work with DOJ accredited representatives. Our office has encountered clients who have been misguided and whose cases have been negatively impacted by working with non-accredited service providers in the past. If you are seeking immigration legal help, call us today to schedule a consultation and get started.

MEMBERSHIPS

Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri is a proud member of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network (CLINIC)

 

Catholic Charities of Central and Northern Missouri

Main Phone Line:
573-635-7719


JEFFERSON CITY
1015 Edmonds Street
Jefferson City, MO 65109

COLUMBIA
1240 E. Brown School Rd.
Columbia, MO 65202

SEDALIA
421 West 3rd Street
Sedalia, Missouri 65301


Diocese of Jefferson City
Chancery Offices
2207 West Main Street
Jefferson City, MO 65109
Phone: (573) 635-9127
diojeffcity.org