Council Bluffs, IA Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Family Preference Green Card permits particular family members of people who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents to themselves become permanent residents in Council Bluffs, IA and the entire United States. With U.S. citizens, family members that can come to the U.S. with this green card include spouses, children (whether single or married) and siblings (as long as the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). With lawful permanent U.S. residents, the family members who may qualify for this green card include unmarried children no matter what age, and spouses.
Green Cards for Family Preference Immigrants are different in application from immediate family member green cards, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney near you in Council Bluffs, IA can help you determine the most fitting category of green card, reconnecting you with your family so you can begin or advance your lives together in the U.S.
How Do Council Bluffs, IA Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To start, the family member in Council Bluffs, IA who is a lawful permanent resident or a U.S. citizen has to file Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. The form demonstrates the connection necessary for the sponsorship. As soon as that form 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 yearly visa caps that Congress imposed. If the applying relative is already in the United States legally, they can request a status adjustment through form I-485 and others.
Every eligible kind of family member is assigned a preference category, all of which have annual limits. First Preference, or F1, for example 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. It's common for Council Bluffs, IA applicants to wait for many years or in some cases, even decades for family-sponsored green cards to become available.
The Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Green Card Lawyer in Council Bluffs, IA
Going through the immigration process is time-consuming and requires hard work and legal understanding. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can change considerably depending on your country of origin and which preference category you belong to. With that being said, there are reports of more than fifteen-year waits for F4, or sibling, visas. With this kind of potential wait, it's imperative that you apply as soon as possible and with the utmost accuracy. A family immigration attorney in Council Bluffs, IA can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and ensure everything is properly filed for the correct visa.
Council Bluffs, IA immigration lawyers can also help you navigate constantly changing laws and regulations and clarify confusing paperwork. They have a grasp of application timetables and can help your family get ready for eventual visa interviews. When you have a strong legal team working with you and your family, you can reduce wait times, undergo a more seamless process, and boost your likelihood of success.
Why Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers As Your Council Bluffs, IA Family Immigration Lawyer
If you or a family member plans to apply for a family preference green card, choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Council Bluffs, IA. Our founder immigrated to the U.S. herself, and numerous members of our team are immigrants or have family members who immigrated here. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys will advise your family throughout the legal immigration structure as we offer some of the industry’s highest success rates.* We're ready to help with your and your family member's immigration needs. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee future outcomes.