Family Immigration Lawyers for Green Cards in Durham, NC
A Green Card for Family Immigrants enables particular family members of people who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents to themselves become permanent residents in Durham, NC and the entire United States. For U.S. citizens, family members that can be brought to the U.S. under this type of green card include minor and adult children, spouses 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.
Family preference permanent resident cards 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 Durham, NC can help you determine the correct type of green card category, helping you reunite with your family and build and grow your lives together in the United States.
How Do Durham, NC Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To get started, the family member located in Durham, NC who is a lawful permanent resident or a U.S. citizen has to file Form I-130, also called the Petition for Alien Relative. This form helps demonstrate the family relation needed for sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member outside the United States are required to wait for visas to become available based on the date they apply and the yearly visa caps that Congress imposed. If the applicant is already in the U.S. legally, they can request a status adjustment by filing forms including I-485.
Each eligible type of 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 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. Many Durham, NC applicants end up waiting for years or in many instances, decades for family-sponsored green cards to become available.
Should You Hire a Family Immigration Attorney in Durham, NC?
The legal immigration process takes a lot of time and hard work 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 which varies based on your nationality and which preference category you belong to. However, there are many reports of fifteen-year or greater waits for sibling, or F4, visas. With this kind of potential wait, it's necessary to file as early as is feasible and with accurate information. Your Durham, NC family immigration lawyer can help you with the documentation and ensure everything is properly filed for the correct visa.
An immigration attorney in Durham, NC can also help you navigate laws and regulations that change constantly and clarify confusing paperwork. They have a grasp of application timetables 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 shorten potential delays, experience a smoother application, and improve your family's chances to achieve the desired outcome.
Why Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers As Your Durham, NC Family Immigration Lawyer
When applying for a family-based green card, turn to Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Durham, NC. Our founder relocated to the United States as an immigrant, and numerous members of our team are immigrants or have immediate family members who are immigrants. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys will advise your family throughout the legal immigration structure as we offer some of the industry’s highest success rates.* We're ready to assist with your and your family's immigration necessities. Start today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.