Saint James, MD Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Green Card for Family Preference Immigrants allows specific relatives of people who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents to themselves become permanent residents in Saint James, MD and the rest of the U.S. For U.S. citizens, relatives eligible to come to the U.S. with this type of green card include children, spouses and siblings (as long as the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). If someone is a lawful permanent resident, the relatives eligible for this green card include spouses and unmarried children of any age.
Green Cards for Family Preference Immigrants have a different path from green cards for immediate family members, which are designated for a U.S. citizen's parents, spouses, and minor children. Your Saint James, MD family green card lawyer can help you to decide the correct type of green card category, reconnecting you with your family so you can build and continue your life together in the United States.
How Do Saint James, MD Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To begin, the Saint James, MD family member who is either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident must file Form I-130, which is the Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection required for sponsorship. Next, after USCIS approves the petition, the family member outside the United States must wait for visas to become accessible dependent on the date of submission and the yearly visa caps that Congress imposed. If the applying relative is already in the United States legally, they can apply for their status to be adjusted through forms that include the I-485.
Every relative type who is eligible falls into a category of preference, which all have individual annual caps. For example, First Preference, or F1, 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. Saint James, MD applicants often wait for years or even decades for family preference green cards to open up.
The Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Green Card Lawyer in Saint James, MD
Going through the immigration process is time-consuming and requires consistent effort and legal understanding. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can differ which varies based on your nationality 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. When you face this kind of potential delay, it's necessary to file as early as is feasible and with the utmost accuracy. Your Saint James, MD family immigration lawyer can help you present the requisite documents and ensure that you file it correctly for the proper visa type.
An immigration attorney in Saint James, MD can assist you with understanding regulations and laws that change regularly and interpret complex documentation. They understand the tight application timeline and can help you or your family members prepare for visa interviews. When you have a strong legal team working with you and your family, you can minimize delays, experience a smoother application, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Saint James, MD as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Saint James, MD. Our founder moved to the United States as an immigrant, and numerous members of our team are immigrants or have immigrant family members themselves. Our multicultural, multilingual team can guide your family through the immigration procedures as we offer some of the industry’s highest success rates.* We're ready to assist with your and your family's immigration necessities. Start today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.