Laurel, DE Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Family Preference Green Card for authorizes specified family members of United States citizens and permanent residents to become permanent residents of Laurel, DE, and the entire United States. With U.S. citizens, family members that can come to the U.S. with this green card include minor and adult children, spouses and siblings (as long as the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). If someone is a lawful permanent resident, the family members who may qualify for this green card include unmarried children and spouses.
Family preference permanent resident cards differ in process from immediate family green cards, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney near you in Laurel, DE can help you to decide the right green card category to pursue, helping your family to reconnect and build or expand your life in the U.S. together.
How Do Family-Based Green Cards Work in Laurel, DE?
To start, the family member in Laurel, DE who is either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident must file Form I-130, which is the Petition for Alien Relative. This form helps demonstrate the family relation necessary for the sponsorship. Next, after USCIS approves the petition, the family member who lives abroad must remain waiting until visas are obtainable based on their application date and the annual visa quotas authorized by Congress. If the family member is legally in the United States, they can petition for a status adjustment by filing forms including I-485.
Every relative type who is eligible falls into a category of preference, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. For example, First Preference, or F1, is designated for unmarried children who are 21 or older of United States citizens. F1 is allocated 23,400 of 226,000 available yearly family preference green cards. Laurel, DE applicants often wait for years and, in some cases, decades for a family-sponsored green card to come.
The Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Green Card Lawyer in Laurel, DE
Going through the immigration process is time-consuming and requires substantial work and legal understanding. The USCIS does not disclose estimated processing times for family-based petitions, which can change considerably which varies based on your nationality and your assigned preference category. However, some F4 (sibling) visa applicants have reported waits of more than fifteen years. If you're facing the potential of such a long wait, it's necessary to file as early as is feasible and with accurate information. Family immigration lawyers near you in Laurel, DE can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and ensure that you file it correctly for the proper visa type.
An immigration attorney in Laurel, DE can help you understand the regulations and laws that change regularly and clarify confusing paperwork. They understand the tight application timeline and can assist you and your family members in getting ready for visa interviews. With knowledgeable legal professionals in your corner, you can minimize delays, undergo a more seamless process, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Laurel, DE: Your Family Immigration Attorney
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, turn to Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Laurel, DE. Our founder immigrated to the U.S. herself, and many of our team members are immigrants or have immigrant family members themselves. 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 your and your family member's immigration needs. Get started with a free case evaluation today.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee future outcomes.