Gainesville, AL Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Green Card for Family Preference Immigrants allows specified family members of United States citizens and permanent residents to gain permanent residency in Gainesville, AL and the United States in general. If someone is a U.S. citizen, relatives eligible to come to the U.S. with this green card include minor and adult children, spouses and siblings (as long as the citizen is at least 21). With lawful permanent U.S. residents, the family members who may qualify for this green card include spouses and unmarried children of any age.
Permanent residency cards based on family preference differ in process from immediate family green cards, which are meant for parents, spouses, and minor children of U.S. citizens. Your Gainesville, AL family green card lawyer can help you to decide the appropriate category of green card to apply for, helping you unite with your family to build or expand your life in the U.S. together.
How Do Family-Preference Green Cards Work in Gainesville, AL?
To get started, the family member located in Gainesville, AL who is either a United States citizen or permanent resident needs to file Form I-130, which is the Petition for Alien Relative. This form helps demonstrate the family relation needed for sponsorship. As soon as that form is approved, the family member who is out of the country must remain waiting until visas are obtainable based on their application date and the current visa limits imposed by law. If the relative is legally in the U.S. already, they can petition for a status adjustment by filing forms including I-485.
Every eligible kind of family member has a defined preference categorization, which all have individual annual caps. F1, for example, which is First Preference, is for the unmarried, over 21-year-old children of United States citizens. Only 23,400 family preference green cards are allocated to F1 out of 226,000 total each year. Often, Gainesville, AL applicants have to wait for years or in some cases, even decades for family preference green cards to open up.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Immigration Lawyer in Gainesville, AL?
Navigating the immigration procedures takes time and substantial work and particular know-how. USCIS does not currently release specific wait times for the processing of family-based petitions, which can differ depending on the country you’re immigrating from and your preference category. However, some have reported fifteen-year or more wait for an F4 (sibling) visa. If you're facing the potential of such a long wait, it's imperative that you apply as soon as possible and with accurate information. Your Gainesville, AL family immigration lawyer can help you present the requisite documents and ensure everything is properly filed for the correct visa.
Immigration lawyers in Gainesville, AL can help you understand the ever-changing laws and regulations and understand complicated documents. They understand the application timelines and can coach you or your family members prior to visa interviews. When you have a strong legal team working with you and your family, you can shorten potential delays, benefit from a smoother experience, and boost your likelihood of success.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Gainesville, AL as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
If you or a family member plans to apply for a family preference green card, turn to Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Gainesville, AL. Our founder moved to the United States as an immigrant, and numerous members of our team are immigrants or have close family who are immigrants. Our multicultural, multilingual team will advise your family throughout the legal immigration structure as we offer some of the industry’s highest success rates.* We're eager to assist with all of your immigration requirements. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.