Elgin, IL Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Family Preference Green Card for authorizes specific relatives of permanent residents and U.S. citizens to become permanent residents of Elgin, IL, and the United States in general. For U.S. citizens, family members that can come to the U.S. with this category of green card include spouses, children (whether single or married) and siblings (as long as the citizen is at least 21). With lawful permanent U.S. residents, eligible family members for this type of green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Permanent residency cards based on family preference are different in application from immediate family member green cards, which are for spouses, parents, and minor children of U.S. citizens. Your Elgin, IL family green card lawyer can assist your family in determining the right green card category to pursue, reconnecting you with your family so you can begin and grow your lives together in the United States.
How Do Elgin, IL Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To get started, the family member located in Elgin, IL who is a US citizen or permanent resident needs to file Form I-130, which is the Petition for Alien Relative. The form demonstrates the connection needed for sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member who is out of the country are required to wait for visas to become available based on the date they apply and the annual visa limits that Congress authorized. If the relative is legally in the U.S. already, they can request for their immigration status to be adjusted through form I-485 and others.
Every eligible kind of family member has a defined preference categorization, which each have their own annual limits. As an example, F1, or First Preference, is for over 21-year-old, unmarried children of U.S. citizens. F1 is allocated only 23,400 of 226,000 family preference green cards each year. It's common for Elgin, IL applicants to wait for many years or in many instances, decades for family preference green cards to open up.
Should You Hire a Family Immigration Attorney in Elgin, IL?
The legal immigration process takes a lot of time and hard work and legal knowledge. The USCIS does not disclose estimated processing times for family-based petitions, which can change considerably based on where you're immigrating from and your designated 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 critical that you file as soon as you can and with the utmost accuracy. A family immigration attorney in Elgin, IL can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and help ensure that it is properly filed for your desired visa.
Elgin, IL immigration lawyers can assist you with understanding ever-changing laws and regulations and clarify confusing paperwork. They have a grasp of application timetables and can assist you and your family members in getting ready for visa interviews. With knowledgeable legal professionals in your corner, you may be able to get the visa much quicker, experience a smoother application, and improve your family's chances to achieve the desired outcome.
Why Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers As Your Elgin, IL Family Immigration Lawyer
If you or a family member plans to apply for a family preference green card, pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Elgin, IL. Our founder moved to the United States as an immigrant, and many of our team members are immigrants or have family members who immigrated here. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys will advise your family throughout the legal immigration structure and benefit from some of the immigration industry's highest approval rates.* We’re here to help with your and your family member's immigration needs. Get started with a free case evaluation today.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.