Family-Based Green Card Attorneys in Lansing, NY
A Green Card for Family Immigrants enables certain relatives of United States citizens and permanent residents to themselves become permanent residents in Lansing, NY and the United States in general. For those who are U.S. citizens, relatives eligible to come to the U.S. with this category of green card include spouses, children (whether single or married) and siblings (if the citizen is 21 years or older). If someone is a lawful permanent resident, the relatives eligible for this green card include unmarried children and spouses.
Green Cards for Family Preference Immigrants do not have the same process as green cards meant for immediate family, which are designated for a U.S. citizen's parents, spouses, and minor children. Your Lansing, NY family green card lawyer can help you to decide the right green card category to pursue, helping you unite with your family to establish or expand your life in the U.S. together.
How Do Lansing, NY Family-Based Green Cards Work?
First, the Lansing, NY family member who is a US citizen or permanent resident has to file Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection required for sponsorship. Next, after USCIS approves the petition, the family member outside the United States are required to wait for visas to become available based on their application date and the current visa limits imposed by law. If the relative is legally in the U.S. already, they can request a status adjustment through forms that include the I-485.
Every relative type who is eligible is given preference classification, which each have their own annual limits. First Preference, or F1, for example 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. It's common for Lansing, NY applicants to wait for many years or in many instances, decades for family preference green cards to open up.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Immigration Lawyer in Lansing, NY?
Navigating the immigration procedures takes time and hard work and legal knowledge. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can differ depending on the country you’re immigrating from and your assigned preference category. However, some F4 (sibling) visa applicants have reported waits of more than fifteen years. If you're facing the potential of such a long wait, it's critical that you file as soon as you can and with accurate information. A family immigration attorney in Lansing, NY can assist with all the required paperwork and ensure that you file it correctly for the proper visa type.
Lansing, NY immigration lawyers can assist you with understanding ever-changing laws and regulations and interpret complex documentation. They have a grasp of application timetables and can coach you or your family members prior to visa interviews. With knowledgeable legal professionals in your corner, you may be able to get the visa much quicker, undergo a more seamless process, and boost your likelihood of success.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Lansing, NY as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
If you or a family member plans to apply for a family preference green card, choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Lansing, NY. Our founder immigrated to the U.S. herself, and many of our team members are immigrants or have immediate family members who are immigrants. Our multilingual, multicultural team of attorneys can guide your family through the immigration procedures and benefit from some of the immigration industry's highest approval rates.* We're ready to assist with all of your family's legal immigration needs. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee future outcomes.