Woodstock, MD Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Family Preference Green Card for authorizes particular family members of people who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents to themselves become permanent residents in Woodstock, MD and the United States in general. If someone is a U.S. citizen, family members that can come to the U.S. with this category of green card include spouses, children 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 and unmarried children of any age.
Family preference permanent resident cards differ in process from immediate family green cards, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney in Woodstock, MD can help you to decide the appropriate category of green card to apply for, helping you reunite with your family and begin and continue your life together in the United States.
Family-Based Green Cards: How Do They Work in Woodstock, MD?
To start, the family member in Woodstock, MD who is either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident needs to file Form I-130, which is the Petition for Alien Relative. This form helps demonstrate the family relation necessary for the sponsorship. As soon as that form is approved, the family member outside the United States must wait for visas to become accessible based on the date they apply and the annual visa quotas authorized by Congress. If the relative is legally in the U.S. already, they can request for their immigration status to be adjusted through form I-485 and others.
Each eligible type of relative has a defined preference categorization, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. F1, for example, which is First Preference, is for over 21-year-old, unmarried children of U.S. citizens. F1 is allocated only 23,400 of 226,000 family preference green cards each year. Often, Woodstock, MD applicants have to wait for years or in some cases, even decades for a family-sponsored green card to come.
Why Hire a Family-Based Immigration Attorney in Woodstock, MD?
Navigating the immigration procedures takes time and substantial work and legal understanding. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can differ depending on the country you’re immigrating from and your designated preference category. However, some have reported fifteen-year or more wait for an F4 (sibling) visa. With this kind of potential wait, you must apply as early as possible and with the utmost accuracy. Your Woodstock, MD family immigration lawyer can help you with the documentation and help ensure that it is properly filed for your desired visa.
Woodstock, MD immigration lawyers can assist you with understanding constantly changing laws and regulations and clarify confusing paperwork. They have a grasp of application timetables and can coach you or your family members prior to visa interviews. With experienced attorneys representing you and your family, you can reduce wait times, experience a smoother application, and increase your chances of a favorable outcome.
Family Immigration Attorney: Why Pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Woodstock, MD
When applying for a family-based green card, choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Woodstock, MD. Our founder immigrated to the U.S. herself, and numerous members of our team are immigrants or have immediate family members who are immigrants. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys will assist your family through the legal immigration system 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. Get started with a free case evaluation today.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.