Elkton, MD Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Family Preference Green Card for authorizes certain relatives of people who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents to themselves become permanent residents in Elkton, MD and the entire United States. If someone is a U.S. citizen, family members that can be brought to the U.S. with this category of green card include children, spouses and siblings (as long as the citizen is at least 21). For those who are lawful permanent 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 meant for parents, spouses, and minor children of U.S. citizens. Family green card attorneys in Elkton, MD can assist your family in determining the correct type of green card category, helping your family to reconnect and create or advance your lives together in the U.S.
Family-Based Green Cards: How Do They Work in Elkton, MD?
To begin, the Elkton, MD family member who is a lawful permanent resident or a U.S. citizen files Form I-130, which is the Petition for Alien Relative. This form helps demonstrate the family relation required for sponsorship. As soon as that form is approved, the family member who lives abroad must wait for visas to become accessible depending on when they applied and the current visa limits imposed by law. If the family member is legally in the United States, they can apply for their status to be adjusted by filing forms including I-485.
Each category of eligible relative is assigned a preference category, all of which have annual limits. First Preference, or F1, for example 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, Elkton, MD applicants have to wait for years and, in some cases, decades for family preference green cards to be available.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Immigration Lawyer in Elkton, MD?
The legal immigration process takes a lot of time and substantial work and legal understanding. The USCIS does not disclose estimated processing times for family-based petitions, which can vary significantly depending on the country you’re immigrating from and your preference category. With that being said, there are reports of more than fifteen-year waits for F4, or sibling, visas. With this kind of potential wait, you must apply as early as possible and with all of your correct data . Your Elkton, MD family immigration lawyer can help you with the documentation and ensure that you file it correctly for the proper visa type.
Your Elkton, Maryland immigration attorney can assist you in complying with regulations and laws that change regularly and understand complicated documents. 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 may be able to get the visa much quicker, enjoy a more streamlined process, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Why Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers As Your Elkton, MD Family Immigration Lawyer
When applying for a family-based green card, turn to Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Elkton, MD. Our founder immigrated to the U.S. herself, and many of our team members are immigrants or have family members who immigrated here. 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 ready to assist with your and your family's immigration necessities. Start today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee the same results.