The first local fact about Chicago immigration lawyers is that state lines are not the same as USCIS jurisdiction lines: residents of northwestern Indiana come to Chicago, while residents of central and southern Illinois go to St. Louis, Missouri.
To be clear, the offices of Lu Xin Law Offices are in Flushing, New York, and West New York, New Jersey; we have no office in Chicago. "Chicago immigration lawyer" in this article is only a search term readers commonly use and does not mean our attorney holds an Illinois license. Immigration cases are governed by federal law, and we can provide consultations remotely, while in-person court appearances or accompanying you to interviews are arranged according to the applicable rules. Our responsible attorney, Michael R. Curran, is licensed in New York and New Jersey and does not hold an Illinois license. The information below is current as of November 6, 2026.
USCIS Boundaries
USCIS's August 2026 jurisdiction table shows that the Chicago office is at 101 West Ida B. Wells Drive and covers:
- Cook, DuPage, Lake and Will counties, including Naperville, Schaumburg and Evanston.
- Rockford in northern Illinois.
- Lake, Porter, LaPorte and St. Joseph counties in Indiana, such as Hammond, Gary, Valparaiso and South Bend.
Most counties in central and southern Illinois fall under the Saint Louis office instead, including Peoria and Champaign. People who study or work at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign may have to go to St. Louis, not Chicago, for green card or naturalization interviews. Most ZIP codes in the state capital, Springfield, also fall under St. Louis.
Indianapolis has its own office.
Immigration Court and Asylum
The Chicago Immigration Court is at 55 E. Monroe St., Suite 1500, and can also be entered from the E. Adams St. entrance. EOIR says there is paid parking in the building and public parking lots nearby. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Chicago Asylum Office is at 181 W. Madison Street, Suite 3000, and its service area covers Illinois and several Midwestern states. The court, the asylum office and USCIS are three different addresses, so check your notice carefully before you leave.
The appeal path is the Board of Immigration Appeals, then the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Illinois and Indiana both fall within the Seventh Circuit.
Chinese community
Census Bureau 2020 to 2024 estimates put the Chinese population (excluding Taiwanese) of the City of Chicago at about 62,000, about 2.3% of the city; Cook County at about 82,000; and all of Illinois at about 130,000. That is, more than one third of the state's Chinese population lives outside Cook County.
Chinatown on the South Side is an old neighborhood, and the CTA Red Line Cermak-Chinatown station is in this area. From Chinatown, the Red Line goes into the Loop.
Inferred from neighborhood patterns (not statistics), older neighborhoods are more likely to see family immigration and naturalization issues, while areas around universities and the suburbs are more likely to involve student status, H-1B and employment-based immigration.
How Clients Here Work with a New York Lawyer
Chicago is 1 hour behind New York, so scheduling is not difficult. Document work, such as eligibility assessment, forms and responses to evidence requests, can all be done online.
In-person arrangements need to be discussed in advance: since May 18, 2026, USCIS field office interviews no longer accept remote attendance by attorneys, with a few exceptions. If you live in southern Illinois, your interview may be in St. Louis, so confirm the location first and then work out the travel. Matters in Illinois courts must be handled by an Illinois attorney. For questions to ask when hiring across state lines, see How to Choose an Immigration Lawyer.
Contact us
Consultations in Chinese: 347-618-3386. For our services, see Immigration Legal Services.
FAQ
I study in Champaign. Do I have to go to Chicago for the interview?
Possibly not. Most counties in central and southern Illinois fall under the Saint Louis office, including Peoria and Champaign, so your interview may be in St. Louis.
Which office covers northwestern Indiana?
Lake, Porter, LaPorte and St. Joseph counties in Indiana fall under the Chicago office.
Does your firm have an office in Chicago?
No. The offices of Lu Xin Law Offices are in Flushing, New York, and our responsible attorney does not hold an Illinois license. We can consult remotely; in-person court appearances or accompanying you to interviews are arranged according to the applicable rules.
Sources: uscis.gov, uscis.gov, justice.gov, uscis.gov, transitchicago.com, censusreporter.org, law.cornell.edu. The information above is current as of November 6, 2026. Immigration rules and fees may change, so check the latest official requirements before you file.
Attorney Advertising. This article is general information and is not legal advice on any particular case. Eligibility, procedures and outcomes depend on the facts of each case, the applicable law and the decision of the government agency.