Havre De Grace, MD Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Green Card for Family Immigrants enables certain relatives of permanent residents and U.S. citizens to themselves become permanent residents in Havre De Grace, MD and the entire United States. For those who are U.S. citizens, family members that can come to the U.S. under this type of green card include spouses, children (whether single or married) and siblings (providing that the citizen is over 21). With lawful permanent U.S. residents, the family members who may qualify for this green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Family preference permanent resident cards have a different path from green cards for immediate family members, which are meant for parents, spouses, and minor children of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney near you in Havre De Grace, MD can help you determine the right green card category to pursue, helping you unite with your family to begin or expand your life in the U.S. together.
How Do Family-Based Green Cards Work in Havre De Grace, MD?
To start, the family member in Havre De Grace, MD who is either a United States citizen or permanent resident has to file Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. The form demonstrates the connection needed for sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member who lives abroad has to stand by for visas to be available based on the date they apply and the annual visa quotas authorized by Congress. If the applicant is already in the U.S. legally, they can apply for their status to be adjusted through forms that include the I-485.
Every relative type who is eligible 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. Many Havre De Grace, MD applicants end up waiting for years or in many instances, decades for a family-sponsored green card to come.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Immigration Lawyer in Havre De Grace, MD?
The United States immigration procedure is time-consuming and necessitates hard work and legal knowledge. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can vary significantly depending on the country you’re immigrating from and your preference category. However, some F4 (sibling) visa applicants have reported waits of more than fifteen years. With this kind of potential wait, it's critical that you file as soon as you can and with the utmost accuracy. Your Havre De Grace, MD family immigration lawyer can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and correctly file it for your specific visa type.
Immigration lawyers in Havre De Grace, MD can assist you in complying with regulations and laws that change regularly and interpret complex documentation. They understand the tight application timeline and can coach you or your family members prior to visa interviews. With experienced legal representation on your side, you can reduce wait times, enjoy a more streamlined process, and improve your family's chances to achieve the desired outcome.
Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Havre De Grace, MD: Your Family Immigration Attorney
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, partner with the professionals at Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Havre De Grace, MD. 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 team of multicultural and multilingual lawyers can help your family navigate the legal immigration process and enjoy some of the industry's highest rates of approval.* We’re here to help with your and your family member's immigration needs. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar result.