Champaign, IL Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Green Card for Family Preference Immigrants allows specified family members of current U.S. citizens and permanent residents to become permanent residents of Champaign, IL, and the entire United States. For those who are U.S. citizens, the relatives they can bring to the U.S. with this category of green card include children, spouses and siblings (if the citizen is 21 years or older). For those who are lawful permanent residents, relatives who could qualify for this type of green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Permanent residency cards based on family preference have a different path from green cards for immediate family members, which are designated for a U.S. citizen's parents, spouses, and minor children. Family green card attorneys in Champaign, IL can help you determine the most fitting category of green card, reconnecting you with your family so you can establish and grow your lives together in the United States.
How Do Champaign, IL Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To get started, the family member located in Champaign, IL who is either a United States citizen or permanent resident has to file Form I-130, known as a Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection needed for sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member who is not in the United States are required to wait for visas to become available based on the date they apply and the yearly visa caps that Congress imposed. If the applying relative is already in the United States legally, they can petition for a status adjustment through forms that include the I-485.
Each category of eligible relative is assigned a preference category, all of which have annual limits. As an example, F1, or First Preference, is for the unmarried, over 21-year-old children of United States citizens. F1 is allocated only 23,400 of 226,000 family preference green cards each year. Often, Champaign, IL applicants have to wait for years or even decades for family preference green cards to open up.
Should You Hire a Family Immigration Attorney in Champaign, IL?
The United States immigration procedure is time-consuming and necessitates significant efforts and in-depth expertise. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can fluctuate substantially depending on the country you’re immigrating from and your designated preference category. With that being said, there are reports of more than fifteen-year waits for F4, or sibling, visas. With that kind of waiting period, it's necessary to file as early as is feasible and with complete accuracy. A family immigration attorney in Champaign, IL can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and help ensure that it is properly filed for your desired visa.
Champaign, IL immigration lawyers can assist you in complying with constantly changing laws and regulations and clarify confusing paperwork. They understand the application timelines and can assist you and your family members in getting ready for visa interviews. With experienced legal representation on your side, you can minimize delays, benefit from a smoother experience, and improve your family's chances to achieve the desired outcome.
Why Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers As Your Champaign, IL Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Champaign, IL. Our founder personally immigrated to the United States, and many of our team members are immigrants or have family members who immigrated here. Our team of multicultural and multilingual lawyers 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's immigration necessities. Start working with Weinstock Immigration Lawyers today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar result.