South Mills, NC Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Family Preference Green Card permits specific relatives of permanent residents and U.S. citizens to be granted permanent residence in South Mills, NC and the entire United States. For U.S. citizens, relatives eligible to come to the U.S. under this type of green card include spouses, children and siblings (as long as the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). If someone is a lawful permanent resident, the family members who may qualify for this green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Family preference permanent resident cards have a different path from green cards for immediate family members, which are for spouses, parents, and minor children of U.S. citizens. Your South Mills, NC family green card lawyer can help you to decide the most fitting category of green card, reconnecting you with your family so you can build or expand your life in the U.S. together.
Family-Based Green Cards: How Do They Work in South Mills, NC?
To get started, the family member located in South Mills, NC who is either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident files Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection necessary for the sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member who lives abroad must remain waiting until visas are obtainable based on the date they apply and the annual visa limits that Congress authorized. If the applicant is already in the U.S. legally, they can petition for a status adjustment with various forms including I-485.
Each category of eligible relative falls into a category of preference, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. 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. It's common for South Mills, NC applicants to wait for many years or in some cases, even decades for family-sponsored green cards to become available.
Why Hire a Family-Based Immigration Attorney in South Mills, NC?
The United States immigration procedure is time-consuming and necessitates significant efforts and in-depth expertise. The USCIS does not disclose estimated processing times for family-based petitions, which can vary significantly depending on your country of origin and your 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, you must apply as early as possible and with the utmost accuracy. A family immigration attorney in South Mills, NC can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and correctly file it for your specific visa type.
An immigration attorney in South Mills, NC can assist you in complying with ever-changing laws and regulations and clarify confusing paperwork. They know the application’s schedules and can help your family get ready for eventual visa interviews. With experienced attorneys representing you and your family, you can reduce wait times, experience a smoother application, and improve your family's chances to achieve the desired outcome.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in South Mills, NC as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When applying for a family-based green card, turn to Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in South Mills, NC. Our founder moved 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 can guide your family through the immigration procedures and benefit from some of the immigration industry's highest approval rates.* We're ready to help with your and your family member's immigration needs. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee the same results.