Essex, MD Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Green Card for Family Preference Immigrants allows particular family members of United States citizens and permanent residents to themselves become permanent residents in Essex, MD and all of the United States. With U.S. citizens, family members that can come to the U.S. with this type of green card include minor and adult children, spouses and siblings (providing that the citizen is over 21). For lawful permanent residents, eligible family members for this type of green card include unmarried children and spouses.
Family preference green cards do not have the same process as green cards meant for immediate family, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. Your Essex, MD family green card lawyer can assist your family in determining the appropriate category of green card to apply for, helping you unite with your family to establish or advance your lives together in the U.S.
How Do Essex, MD Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To begin, the Essex, MD family member who is a lawful permanent resident or a U.S. citizen needs to file Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. This form helps demonstrate the family relation that qualifies for the sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member outside the United States must remain waiting until visas are obtainable depending on when they applied 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.
Each category of eligible relative is assigned a preference category, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. For example, First Preference, or F1, is for over 21-year-old, unmarried children of U.S. citizens. Only 23,400 family preference green cards are allocated to F1 out of 226,000 total each year. Often, Essex, 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 Essex, MD?
The United States immigration procedure is time-consuming and necessitates significant efforts and particular know-how. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can change considerably based on where you're immigrating from and your assigned preference category. However, some F4 (sibling) visa applicants have reported waits of more than fifteen years. With that kind of waiting period, it's critical that you file as soon as you can and with the utmost accuracy. Family immigration lawyers near you in Essex, MD can help you with the documentation and help ensure that it is properly filed for your desired visa.
Immigration lawyers in Essex, MD can assist you in complying with laws and regulations that change constantly and interpret complex documentation. They understand the tight application timeline and can help your family get ready for eventual visa interviews. With experienced attorneys representing you and your family, you can shorten potential delays, enjoy a more streamlined process, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Why Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers As Your Essex, MD Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, select Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Essex, MD. Our founder relocated to the United States as an immigrant, and many of our team members are immigrants or have immigrant family members themselves. Our team of multicultural and multilingual lawyers can guide your family through the immigration procedures and benefit from some of the immigration industry's highest approval rates.* We're ready to assist 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.