Family-Based Green Card Attorneys in Barnstable, MA
A Family Preference Green Card for authorizes specific relatives of people who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents to gain permanent residency in Barnstable, MA and all of the United States. For U.S. citizens, the relatives they can bring to the U.S. under this type of green card include minor and adult children, spouses and siblings (as long as the citizen is at least 21). With lawful permanent U.S. residents, eligible family members for this type of green card include unmarried children no matter what age, and spouses.
Permanent residency cards based on family preference have a different path from green cards for immediate family members, which are for spouses, parents, and minor children of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney in Barnstable, MA can help your family decide the right green card category to pursue, helping you reunite with your family and build or advance your lives together in the U.S.
How Do Family-Preference Green Cards Work in Barnstable, MA?
To get started, the family member located in Barnstable, MA who is either a United States citizen or permanent resident needs to file Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. The form demonstrates the connection required for sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member who lives abroad has to stand by for visas to be available depending on when they applied and the annual visa limits that Congress authorized. If the applicant is already in the U.S. legally, they can request a status adjustment by filing forms including I-485.
Every relative type who is eligible is given preference classification, which all have individual annual caps. 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, Barnstable, MA applicants have to 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 Barnstable, MA
Navigating the immigration procedures takes time and significant efforts and legal knowledge. The processing times for family-based petitions are not made available by the United States Citizens and Immigration Services, which can fluctuate substantially depending on the country you’re immigrating from and your designated preference category. With that being said, there are reports of more than fifteen-year waits for F4, or sibling, visas. With this kind of potential wait, it's necessary to file as early as is feasible and with complete accuracy. Barnstable, MA family immigration attorneys can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and correctly file it for your specific visa type.
An immigration attorney in Barnstable, MA can also help you navigate laws and regulations that change constantly and interpret complex documentation. They understand the application timelines and can help you or your family members prepare for visa interviews. With experienced attorneys representing you and your family, you can reduce wait times, experience a smoother application, and boost your likelihood of success.
Why Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers As Your Barnstable, MA Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, select Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Barnstable, MA. Our founder relocated to the United States as an immigrant, and numerous members of our team are immigrants or have immigrant family members themselves. 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 help with all of your immigration requirements. Start working with Weinstock Immigration Lawyers today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar result.