Orono, ME Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Family Preference Green Card permits particular family members of current U.S. citizens and permanent residents to gain permanent residency in Orono, ME and all of the United States. If someone is a U.S. citizen, family members that can be brought to the U.S. with this green card include minor and adult children, spouses and siblings (if the citizen is 21 years or older). If someone is a lawful permanent resident, 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 have a different path from green cards for immediate family members, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. Family green card attorneys in Orono, ME can help you determine the most fitting category of green card, helping you unite with your family to establish and grow your lives together in the United States.
How Do Family-Preference Green Cards Work in Orono, ME?
To get started, the family member located in Orono, ME who is a US citizen or permanent resident has to file Form I-130, also called the Petition for Alien Relative. This form proves the family relationship necessary for the sponsorship. Next, after USCIS approves the petition, the family member who is not in the United States must remain waiting until visas are obtainable based on the date they apply and the annual visa limits that Congress authorized. If the applying relative is already in the United States legally, they can request a status adjustment with various forms including I-485.
Every eligible kind of family member falls into a category of preference, which all have individual annual caps. F1, for example, which is First Preference, is for over 21-year-old, unmarried children of U.S. citizens. F1 is allocated 23,400 of 226,000 available yearly family preference green cards. Often, Orono, ME applicants have to wait for years or even decades for a family-sponsored green card to come.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Immigration Lawyer in Orono, ME?
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 vary significantly based on where you're immigrating from 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 that kind of waiting period, you must apply as early as possible and with the utmost accuracy. Your Orono, ME family immigration lawyer can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and correctly file it for your specific visa type.
An immigration attorney in Orono, ME can also help you navigate regulations and laws that change regularly and clarify confusing paperwork. They know the application’s schedules and can help your family get ready for eventual visa interviews. With experienced attorneys representing you and your family, you can reduce wait times, experience a smoother application, and improve your family's chances to achieve the desired outcome.
Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Orono, ME: Your Family Immigration Attorney
When you or a family member is applying for a family preference green card, turn to Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Orono, ME. Our founder immigrated to the U.S. herself, and a large number of our team members are also immigrants or have immediate family members who are immigrants. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys will assist your family through the legal immigration system and experience some of the industry's highest rates of success.* We’re here to help with your and your family member's immigration needs. Start working with Weinstock Immigration Lawyers today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.