Rebecca S. Lair-Ybanez

Rebecca is an attorney licensed in the State of Michigan. She grew up in Grand Rapids, and attended Kalamazoo College where she majored in Spanish and Religion. Soon after graduation, she began work at Catholic Human Development Outreach in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in the Immigration Assistance Program where she was first exposed to immigration law. After three life-changing years of helping immigrants reunite with their families, she decided to attend law school, and she graduated and became an attorney in 2006. Rebecca then moved to Chicago where she studied and worked in tax for several years where she specialized in individual international taxation issues. In 2010, she felt the call to come back home to Michigan and immigration law. She worked at St. Vincent Catholic Charities in Lansing, Michigan as a Staff Attorney for more than two years before becoming the Director of Immigration Legal Services for the Diocese of Grand Rapids in 2013. She left that post in 2022 to open LYIS, PLLC. She now has more than 14 years' experience in U.S. citizenship and immigration practice. She is a native English speaker, and is fluent in Spanish.

Northwestern University School of Law

LL.M. (2007) | Taxation

2006 - 2007

New England Law | Boston

J.D. (2006)

2003 - 2006

Kalamazoo College

B.A. (1999) | Spanish, Religion

1995 - 1999

owner

Lair-Ybanez Immigration Services, PLLC

2022 - Current

Director

Immigration Legal Services - Diocese of Grand Rapids

2013 - 2022

Staff Attorney

Immigration Law Clinic - St. Vincent Catholic Charities

2011 - 2013

tax preparer

H&R Block

2011 - 2011

tax department staff

Topel Forman, LLC

2007 - 2010

Immigration Case Manager

Immigration Assistance and Advocacy - Catholic Human Development Outreach

2001 - 2003

American Immigration Lawyers Association

2011 - Current

Michigan State Bar  # P70281

2006 - Current

Michigan Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights

Treasurer

2012 - 2019

Illinois State Bar

2007 - 2010

Michigan

State Bar of Michigan

ID Number: P70281

Since 2006

• Credit Cards Accepted
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  Consult charge is $150.

Q. Hey my aunty filed for my dad in 2011 i am from india still i havent got any i130 approval it just says we have recieved

January 29, 2024

A: It sounds like this is a sibling-based petition, or F4 petition. Current processing times for USCIS to process these I-130s is several years right now, depending on the office processing it. However, historically F4 petitions have taken many more years than what USCIS is stating they are currently taking. In my experience, 12 years is not uncommon for F4 petitions from oversubscribed countries like India. You can attempt to make an inquiry, but I believe the most important thing is to make sure that USCIS has the petitioner's current mailing address, so that when they send out the approval notice, it doesn't go to an old address (in case the petitioner has moved.)

Q. I am US citizen, filed I-130 for my 30 years old unmarried daughter in 2021 and in Dec 23 she got married. Pl guide.

January 29, 2024

A: Unfortunately, the petition now changes from an F1 petition, to an F3 petition. In all likelihood, this will mean a much longer wait for an immigrant visa to be available. You should advise the National Visa Center of the change to avoid being called for an interview before being eligible.