Smallwood, NY Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Family Preference Green Card permits specified family members of United States citizens and permanent residents to gain permanent residency in Smallwood, NY and the United States in general. If someone is a U.S. citizen, family members that can be brought to the U.S. with this type of green card include children, spouses and siblings (as long as the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). If someone is a lawful permanent resident, eligible family members for this type of green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Permanent residency cards based on family preference have a different path from green cards for immediate family members, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney near you in Smallwood, NY can help your family decide the correct type of green card category, helping your family to reconnect and create and continue your life together in the United States.
Family-Based Green Cards: How Do They Work in Smallwood, NY?
To start, the family member in Smallwood, NY who is either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident has to file Form I-130, which is the Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection necessary for the sponsorship. Next, after USCIS approves the petition, the family member outside the United States 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 family member is legally in the United States, they can request a status adjustment through form I-485 and others.
Each category of eligible relative is given preference classification, 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. 23,400 family preference green cards are appropriated for F1 applicants yearly, out of 226,000 available. It's common for Smallwood, NY applicants to wait for many years or in some cases, even decades for family preference green cards to be available.
The Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Green Card Lawyer in Smallwood, NY
Going through the immigration process is time-consuming and requires hard work and in-depth expertise. The processing times for family-based petitions are not made available by the United States Citizens and Immigration Services, which can change considerably depending on your country of origin and your assigned preference category. However, there are many reports of fifteen-year or greater waits for sibling, or F4, visas. If you're facing the potential of such a long wait, it's imperative that you apply as soon as possible and with complete accuracy. A family immigration attorney in Smallwood, NY can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and correctly file it for your specific visa type.
Smallwood, NY immigration lawyers can also help you navigate regulations and laws that change regularly and comprehend intricate documentation. They understand the application timelines and can help your family get ready for eventual visa interviews. When you have a strong legal team working with you and your family, you can reduce wait times, enjoy a more streamlined process, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Smallwood, NY: Your Family Immigration Attorney
If you or a family member plans to apply for a family preference green card, select Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Smallwood, NY. Our founder immigrated to the U.S. herself, and many of our team members are immigrants or have close family who are immigrants. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys will advise your family throughout the legal immigration structure and experience some of the industry's highest rates of success.* We're ready to assist 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.