Maple, NC Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Family Preference Green Card permits particular family members of current U.S. citizens and permanent residents to become permanent residents of Maple, NC, and the rest of the U.S. For those who are U.S. citizens, relatives eligible to come to the U.S. with this green card include children, spouses and siblings (as long as the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). With lawful permanent U.S. residents, the family members who may qualify for this green card include spouses and unmarried children of any age.
Family preference green cards differ in process from immediate family green cards, which are meant for parents, spouses, and minor children of U.S. citizens. Family green card attorneys in Maple, NC can help you determine the appropriate category of green card to apply for, helping you reunite with your family and create and grow your lives together in the United States.
How Do Family-Preference Green Cards Work in Maple, NC?
To get started, the family member located in Maple, NC who is either a United States citizen or permanent resident must file Form I-130, also called the Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection needed for sponsorship. When USCIS later approves the petition, the family member who is not in 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 applying relative is already in the United States legally, they can petition for a status adjustment through forms that include the I-485.
Every eligible kind of family member is assigned a preference category, which all have individual annual caps. First Preference, or F1, for example is assigned to U.S. citizens’ children who are older than 21 and unmarried. Only 23,400 family preference green cards are allocated to F1 out of 226,000 total each year. Often, Maple, NC applicants have to wait for 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 Maple, NC?
Going through the immigration process is time-consuming and requires consistent effort and legal understanding. USCIS does not currently release specific wait times for the processing of family-based petitions, which can differ which varies based on your nationality and your preference category. However, some have reported fifteen-year or more wait for an F4 (sibling) visa. With this kind of potential wait, it's imperative that you apply as soon as possible and with the utmost accuracy. Family immigration lawyers near you in Maple, NC can assist with all the required paperwork and ensure that you file it correctly for the proper visa type.
Maple, NC immigration lawyers can also help you navigate ever-changing laws and regulations and clarify confusing paperwork. They have a grasp of application timetables and can assist you and your family members in getting ready for visa interviews. When you have a strong legal team working with you and your family, you can minimize delays, experience a smoother application, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Maple, NC: Your Family Immigration Attorney
If you or a family member plans to apply for a family preference green card, partner with the professionals at Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Maple, NC. Our founder relocated to the United States as an immigrant, and many of our team members are immigrants or have immigrant family members themselves. Our multilingual, multicultural team of 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 help with all of your immigration requirements. Start today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.