Immigration Lawyer in Seattle

Most immigration attorneys learned the field from a textbook. Jason Ankeny learned it from the other side of the border.

Before he ever represented a client, Jason served as a U.S. Immigration & Naturalization Service (INS) Officer and U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) Supervisor at the U.S.-Canada border in Washington State. He knows how federal agencies evaluate applications, where cases get stuck, and what adjudicators actually look for, because he was one. Clients are usually aware something has gone wrong long before anyone will explain it to them. That experience now works directly in your favor.

The Pacific Northwest’s position as a Pacific Rim gateway, a technology hub, and a border-adjacent region creates cross-border challenges that demand more than a generalist approach. Ankeny Law Corp was built specifically for this environment, and it is a cross-border practice rather than a general one.

Our lead attorney is a multinational attorney licensed to practice in both the United States and Canada. Before he opened his own office, Jason Ankeny spent more than a decade enforcing U.S. immigration and customs law as an INS Officer and CBP Supervisor at the Washington State-Canada border — giving Ankeny Law a perspective on government adjudication that purely private-sector firms cannot replicate. Because he comes from within the agency, Jason does not rely on speculation about what adjudicators require. He knows their mandate, their standards, and their expectations, and he uses that knowledge to prepare cases that hold up to scrutiny.

From Seattle, WA and Vancouver, BC, our lawyers serve clients on both sides of the border under one roof, obtaining visas and green cards for people whose families and jobs span two countries. For people and businesses navigating both systems simultaneously, that dual-jurisdiction continuity is a meaningful strategic advantage.

Immigration law is procedurally demanding. Knowing what to expect at each stage reduces uncertainty and helps you participate meaningfully in your own matter. Here, every representation follows a structured five-step process designed to identify issues early, maintain momentum, and keep you informed throughout. We hope you never need the second half of it.

Contact us at either location to book your initial meeting. We gather information about your history, current status, and objectives so we arrive at the consultation prepared to give you substantive guidance, not generic answers. Tell us your concerns in your own words and we will address them.

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Following the consultation, we develop a strategy that fits your circumstances and accounts for your priorities, whether speed, certainty, or cost-efficiency matters most. You receive a detailed document checklist identifying every record your filing requires, along with guidance on obtaining them from agencies and record services here and around the world.

We assemble your application package to the standard government adjudicators expect, file with the appropriate agency, and manage all subsequent communications including responses to requests for evidence, interview notices, and agency inquiries. Mistakes, missed deadlines, or improperly completed forms can result in rejections, so our team checks every form against current regulatory requirements before it is filed.

You receive regular status updates throughout processing, and we speak with you directly and support you rather than routing you through a portal. When your matter concludes, we explain any conditions attached to your new status and advise on maintaining compliance going forward, including any adjustment your family members may need. For employers, we provide ongoing guidance on workforce obligations and on hiring foreign nationals, so nothing falls through the cracks after approval.

Lead attorney Jason E. Ankeny is admitted before the Arizona and Washington Supreme Courts, the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, the Ninth Circuit, the U.S. Court of International Trade, and the Executive Office for Immigration Review. On the Canadian side, Jason is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia. He also appears before the Board of Immigration Appeals.

Professional memberships include the State Bar of Arizona, the WSBA, and the Federal Bar Association.

These admissions let the firm represent you at every stage, from initial agency filings through immigration appeals and federal appellate review if administrative remedies prove unsuccessful.

Our primary service hub is the Seattle office at 506 2nd Ave, Suite 1400 in the downtown core. Our second location at 500-666 Burrard Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, serves the Lower Mainland with Canadian immigration matters and cross-border coordination.

Our lawyers represent people and businesses living or operating throughout the Puget Sound region who face U.S. or Canadian immigration challenges. Cross-border filings, compliance matters, and cases requiring coordination between American and Canadian authorities are a significant part of what we do. Cases like these take hard work and a steady hand, and success depends on getting the record right the first time.