Great Barrington, MA Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Green Card for Family Immigrants enables certain relatives of permanent residents and U.S. citizens to gain permanent residency in Great Barrington, MA and the United States in general. With U.S. citizens, relatives eligible to come to the U.S. with this type of green card include spouses, children (whether single or married) and siblings (if the citizen is 21 years or older). For lawful permanent residents, the relatives eligible for this green card include unmarried children 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. Family green card attorneys in Great Barrington, MA can assist your family in determining the appropriate category of green card to apply for, reconnecting you with your family so you can build and grow your lives together in the United States.
How Do Family-Based Green Cards Work in Great Barrington, MA?
To start, the family member in Great Barrington, MA who is a US citizen or permanent resident files Form I-130, also called the Petition for Alien Relative. The form demonstrates the connection necessary for the sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member who lives abroad are required to wait for visas to become available based on their application date and the yearly visa caps that Congress imposed. If the relative is legally in the U.S. already, they can request for their immigration status to be adjusted with various forms including I-485.
Each category of eligible relative falls into a category of preference, all of which have annual limits. As an example, F1, or First Preference, is designated for unmarried children who are 21 or older of United States citizens. Only 23,400 family preference green cards are allocated to F1 out of 226,000 total each year. Often, Great Barrington, MA applicants have to wait for years or in many instances, decades for family preference green cards to open up.
Why Hire a Family-Based Immigration Attorney in Great Barrington, MA?
Navigating the immigration procedures takes time and consistent effort and legal understanding. USCIS does not currently release specific wait times for the processing of family-based petitions, which can differ based on where you're immigrating from and your assigned preference category. 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, you must apply as early as possible and with accurate information. A family immigration attorney in Great Barrington, MA can assist with all the required paperwork and ensure everything is properly filed for the correct visa.
An immigration attorney in Great Barrington, MA can assist you with understanding regulations and laws that change regularly and interpret complex documentation. 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 shorten potential delays, benefit from a smoother experience, and boost your likelihood of success.
Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Great Barrington, MA: Your Family Immigration Attorney
When you or a family member is applying for a family preference green card, choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Great Barrington, 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 team of multicultural and multilingual lawyers will assist your family through the legal immigration system and experience some of the industry's highest rates of success.* 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.