Immigration Legal Services

Our Immigration Legal Services Program provides low-cost immigration legal services to low-income immigrants in central Virginia.

Our immigration law practitioners are Accredited Representatives. Accredited Representatives are non-attorneys authorized by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to practice immigration law and represent immigrants before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Immigration Courts, and the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Our immigration legal services include:

• Special Immigrant Juvenile Status for immigrant youth who have been abused, abandoned or neglected;
• Asylum, for immigrants who fear persecution if they are returned to their country of origin;
• U-Visas, for immigrant survivors of certain serious crimes;
• T-Visa, for immigrant survivors of serious forms of trafficking;
• Adjustment of Status, for immigrants eligible to apply for Lawful Permanent Residence (a “green card”);
• Naturalization, for green card holders eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship;consultations; and more.

Please note that DOJ Accredited Representatives are not authorized to provide legal services or advice in legal areas other than immigration law, such as family law or criminal law. DOJ Accredited Representatives are only authorized to practice immigration law.

Application for Services

Current Availability Status

The Sacred Heart Center Immigration Legal Services Program (SHC ILSP) currently has a full caseload and is not accepting new clients at this time due to high demand for our services. As a non-profit organization dedicated to serving the community, we strive to help as many individuals as possible within our resource constraints.

How to Apply for Future Consideration

We invite community members seeking immigration legal assistance to submit an application for future consideration through our online portal. While we cannot guarantee immediate service, your application will:

• Be securely stored in our system
• Be reviewed when our capacity allows
• Receive consideration on a first-come, first-serve basis when we open for new consultations
• Help us understand community needs and plan our services accordingly

Submit Application for Future Consideration →

Selection Process

When our capacity allows, we review pending applications and prospective clients based on several factors:

• Case type and urgency
• Alignment with our areas of expertise
• Current staff availability and caseload
• Financial need of client

If your case appears to be a good match for our services, we will contact you directly to schedule an initial consultation.

Existing Clients

If you are an existing client and need to reach your legal representative:

• Call your assigned representative using the contact information provided in your service agreement
• If you no longer have this information, please contact our office at 804-837-0189
• Alternatively, email us at immigration_services_team@shcrichmond.org