Family-Based Green Card Attorneys in Athens, NY
A Family Preference Green Card permits particular family members of current U.S. citizens and permanent residents to become permanent residents of Athens, NY, and all of the United States. If someone is a U.S. citizen, relatives eligible to come to the U.S. with this category of green card include spouses, children and siblings (as long as the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). For those who are lawful permanent residents, the family members who may qualify for this green card include unmarried children no matter what age, and spouses.
Family preference permanent resident cards do not have the same process as green cards meant for immediate family, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney near you in Athens, NY can assist your family in determining the right green card category to pursue, helping your family to reconnect and build or advance your lives together in the U.S.
Family-Based Green Cards: How Do They Work in Athens, NY?
To start, the family member in Athens, NY who is either a United States citizen or permanent resident needs to file Form I-130, also called the Petition for Alien Relative. The form demonstrates the connection required for sponsorship. As soon as that form is approved, the family member outside the United States has to stand by for visas to be available depending on when they applied and the annual visa quotas authorized by Congress. If the family member is legally in the United States, they can request a status adjustment through form I-485 and others.
Every eligible kind of family member falls into a category of preference, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. For example, First Preference, or F1, 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. Often, Athens, NY applicants have to wait for years and, in some cases, decades for family-sponsored green cards to become available.
Why Hire a Family-Based Immigration Attorney in Athens, NY?
Going through the immigration process is time-consuming and requires 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 differ depending on your country of origin and which preference category you belong to. However, some have reported fifteen-year or more wait for an F4 (sibling) visa. When you face this kind of potential delay, you must apply as early as possible and with accurate information. Your Athens, NY family immigration lawyer can help you with the documentation and ensure everything is properly filed for the correct visa.
Athens, NY immigration lawyers can help you understand the laws and regulations that change constantly and understand complicated documents. They understand the application timelines and can help you or your family members prepare for visa interviews. With experienced legal representation on your side, you can shorten potential delays, benefit from a smoother experience, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Athens, NY as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member is applying for a family preference green card, pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Athens, NY. 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 team will advise your family throughout the legal immigration structure as we offer some of the industry’s highest success rates.* We're ready to help with your and your family's immigration necessities. Start working with Weinstock Immigration Lawyers today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee future outcomes.