South Lancaster, MA Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Green Card for Family Immigrants enables specified family members of current U.S. citizens and permanent residents to become permanent residents of South Lancaster, MA, and the entire United States. If someone is a U.S. citizen, the relatives they can bring to the U.S. with this green card include spouses, children (whether single or married) and siblings (as long as the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). For lawful permanent residents, the family members who may qualify for this green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Family preference green cards are different in application from immediate family member green cards, which are for spouses, parents, and minor children of U.S. citizens. Your South Lancaster, MA family green card lawyer can help you to decide the correct type of green card category, helping you reunite with your family and create or expand your life in the U.S. together.
How Do South Lancaster, MA Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To begin, the South Lancaster, MA family member who is a US citizen or permanent resident needs to file Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection needed for sponsorship. When USCIS later 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 applicant is already in the U.S. legally, they can petition for a status adjustment with various forms including I-485.
Every relative type who is eligible has a defined preference categorization, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. For example, First Preference, or F1, is for the unmarried, over 21-year-old children of United States citizens. Only 23,400 family preference green cards are allocated to F1 out of 226,000 total each year. Often, South Lancaster, MA applicants have to wait for years or in many instances, decades for family-sponsored green cards to become available.
Should You Hire a Family Immigration Attorney in South Lancaster, MA?
Going through the immigration process is time-consuming and requires hard work and legal understanding. USCIS does not currently release specific wait times for the processing of family-based petitions, which can vary significantly based on where you're immigrating from and your designated preference category. However, some F4 (sibling) visa applicants have reported waits of more than fifteen years. With this kind of potential wait, it's imperative that you apply as soon as possible and with the utmost accuracy. Family immigration lawyers near you in South Lancaster, MA can help you with the documentation and ensure that you file it correctly for the proper visa type.
Your South Lancaster, Massachusetts immigration attorney can also help you navigate ever-changing laws and regulations and clarify confusing paperwork. They understand the tight application timeline and can help your family get ready for eventual visa interviews. With experienced attorneys representing you and your family, you can minimize delays, enjoy a more streamlined process, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in South Lancaster, MA: Your Family Immigration Attorney
When applying for a family-based green card, pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in South Lancaster, MA. Our founder moved to the United States as an immigrant, and a large number of our team members are also 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 here to help with your and your family's immigration necessities. Get started with a free case evaluation today.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.