Woodbridge, NJ 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 be granted permanent residence in Woodbridge, NJ and the entire United States. With U.S. citizens, the relatives they can bring to the U.S. under this type of green card include children, spouses and siblings (providing that the citizen is over 21). With lawful permanent U.S. residents, the relatives eligible for this green card include unmarried children and spouses.
Family preference permanent resident cards are different in application from immediate family member green cards, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. Your Woodbridge, NJ 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 Family-Preference Green Cards Work in Woodbridge, NJ?
To start, the family member in Woodbridge, NJ who is either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident files Form I-130, also called the Petition for Alien Relative. This form proves the family relationship required for sponsorship. When USCIS later approves the petition, the family member who lives abroad are required to wait for visas to become available 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 request a status adjustment by filing forms including I-485.
Each category of eligible relative is assigned a preference category, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. As an example, F1, or First Preference, 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. It's common for Woodbridge, NJ applicants to wait for many years or in many instances, decades for a family-sponsored green card to come.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Immigration Lawyer in Woodbridge, NJ?
The legal immigration process takes a lot of time and hard work and in-depth expertise. The USCIS does not disclose estimated processing times for family-based petitions, which can fluctuate substantially 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. When you face this kind of potential delay, you must apply as early as possible and with accurate information. Family immigration lawyers near you in Woodbridge, NJ can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and help ensure that it is properly filed for your desired visa.
Your Woodbridge, New Jersey immigration attorney can also help you navigate ever-changing laws and regulations and interpret complex documentation. They know the application’s schedules and can help your family get ready for eventual visa interviews. With experienced attorneys representing you and your family, you can shorten potential delays, experience a smoother application, and increase your chances of a favorable outcome.
Why Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers As Your Woodbridge, NJ Family Immigration Lawyer
If you or a family member plans to apply for a family preference green card, partner with the professionals at Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Woodbridge, NJ. Our founder personally immigrated to the United States, and a large number of our team members are also immigrants or have family members who immigrated here. Our team of multicultural and multilingual lawyers will assist your family through the legal immigration system as we offer some of the industry’s highest success rates.* We're ready to help with all of your family's legal immigration needs. Get started with a free case evaluation today.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.