Family Immigration is a way for foreign citizens to immigrate legally to the United States. This requires citizens or lawful permanent residents (those living in the country without being citizens) to file a petition for an immigrant visa. An immigrant visa, or green card, is available to a U.S. citizen’s spouse, children, parents, and siblings, and to a lawful permanent resident’s spouse and unmarried children. Eventually, the relatives who obtain a green card may be eligible for citizenship through naturalization upon meeting certain requirements.
If you are seeking to file a petition so that your relatives can enter the country and re-join your family, contact Sverdloff Law Group in Chicago. Our skills in immigration law will help to guide you through the petition and green card process so that your family can become whole again. While you can file a petition on your own, an immigration law attorney can ensure you submit accurate and complete paperwork the first time.
The first step in obtaining a green card for an eligible family member is to file a petition with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The petition is known as a Form I-130 and requires you to provide your information, the beneficiary’s information, and your relationship to the beneficiary. You will be required to prove your U.S. citizenship or status as a U.S. lawful permanent resident and provide an affidavit stating that you will be financially responsible for the immigrant. Your beneficiary will also be required to undergo health and background screenings.
Family-based green cards are available to certain family members who will be sponsored by a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident who is at least 21 years old. There are two types of family-based green cards that are available to immigrants:
For close relatives of a U.S. citizen, an immigrant visa will be available immediately. These relatives do not have to wait for a visa number. This includes:
For more distant relatives of U.S. citizens and some lawful permanent residents, an immigrant visa is not immediately available and they will need to wait for a visa number. This includes:
Immigration laws are complex, and only certain family members may obtain a Green Card under family-based immigration laws. Any mistake made during the application process can cause an already long wait time to become even longer. Sverdloff Law Group understands the immigration process and can provide thorough and skilled advice when you are trying to bring your family back together. If you want to file a petition for an immigrant visa for a family member, contact us to schedule a consultation with a Chicago immigration law attorney today.