Family Immigration Lawyers for Green Cards in Woodleaf, NC
A Family Preference Green Card permits specific relatives of people who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents to themselves become permanent residents in Woodleaf, NC and the United States in general. For U.S. citizens, family members that can come to the U.S. under this type of green card include spouses, children (whether single or married) and siblings (if the citizen is 21 years or older). For those who are lawful permanent residents, the family members who may qualify for this green card include unmarried children no matter what age, and spouses.
Family preference permanent resident cards are different in application from immediate family member green cards, which are designated for a U.S. citizen's parents, spouses, and minor children. Your Woodleaf, NC family green card lawyer can help you to decide the appropriate category of green card to apply for, helping you reunite with your family and create or expand your life in the U.S. together.
How Do Family-Based Green Cards Work in Woodleaf, NC?
To begin, the Woodleaf, NC family member who is a US citizen or permanent resident must file Form I-130, called a 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 has to stand by for visas to be available based on their application date and the annual visa quotas authorized by Congress. If the relative is legally in the U.S. already, they can request for their immigration status to be adjusted with various forms including I-485.
Each category of eligible relative has a defined preference categorization, which all have individual annual caps. For example, First Preference, or F1, is for the unmarried, over 21-year-old children of United States citizens. F1 is allocated only 23,400 of 226,000 family preference green cards each year. Woodleaf, NC applicants often wait for years or in some cases, even decades for a family-sponsored green card to come.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Immigration Lawyer in Woodleaf, NC?
The legal immigration process takes a lot of time and substantial work and in-depth expertise. The USCIS does not disclose estimated processing times for family-based petitions, which can fluctuate substantially depending on your country of origin and your preference category. However, some F4 (sibling) visa applicants have reported waits of more than fifteen years. With that kind of waiting period, it's imperative that you apply as soon as possible and with accurate information. Family immigration lawyers near you in Woodleaf, NC can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and ensure everything is properly filed for the correct visa.
Woodleaf, NC immigration lawyers can help you understand the regulations and laws that change regularly and clarify confusing paperwork. They know the application’s schedules and can help you or your family members prepare for visa interviews. With experienced attorneys representing you and your family, you can reduce wait times, undergo a more seamless process, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Woodleaf, NC as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member is applying for a family preference green card, choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Woodleaf, 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 multilingual, multicultural team of attorneys will assist your family through the legal immigration system and experience some of the industry's highest rates of success.* We're ready to help with your and your family's immigration necessities. Get started with a free case evaluation today.
*Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar result.