Family-Based Green Card Attorneys in Laurel, MD
A Green Card for Family Preference Immigrants allows particular family members of people who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents to themselves become permanent residents in Laurel, MD and the rest of the U.S. For U.S. citizens, family members that can be brought to the U.S. under this type of green card include children, spouses and siblings (if the citizen is 21 years or older). For lawful permanent residents, eligible family members for this type of 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 designated for a U.S. citizen's parents, spouses, and minor children. A family green card attorney near you in Laurel, MD can assist your family in determining the correct type of green card category, helping your family to reconnect and begin and grow your lives together in the United States.
How Do Laurel, MD Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To get started, the family member located in Laurel, MD who is a US citizen or permanent resident needs to file Form I-130, known as a Petition for Alien Relative. This form helps demonstrate the family relation needed for sponsorship. When USCIS later approves the petition, 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 limits that Congress authorized. If the applicant is already in the U.S. legally, they can request for their immigration status to be adjusted through form I-485 and others.
Each category of eligible relative is assigned a preference category, which all have individual annual caps. 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. Laurel, MD applicants often wait for years or in many instances, decades for family preference green cards to open up.
Why Hire a Family-Based Immigration Attorney in Laurel, MD?
The legal immigration process takes a lot of time and hard work and legal understanding. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can differ depending on your country of origin and your preference category. However, some have reported fifteen-year or more wait for an F4 (sibling) visa. If you're facing the potential of such a long wait, you must apply as early as possible and with complete accuracy. A family immigration attorney in Laurel, MD can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and correctly file it for your specific visa type.
Your Laurel, Maryland immigration attorney can assist you with understanding ever-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 shorten potential delays, experience a smoother application, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Laurel, MD as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When applying for a family-based green card, partner with the professionals at Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Laurel, MD. Our founder personally immigrated to the United States, and many of our team members are immigrants or have family members who immigrated here. 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 eager to assist with your and your family's immigration necessities. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee future outcomes.