Middletown, OH Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Family Preference Green Card permits certain relatives of current U.S. citizens and permanent residents to become permanent residents of Middletown, OH, 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 spouses, children and siblings (as long as the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). For those who are lawful permanent residents, 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 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 Middletown, OH can help you to decide the right green card category to pursue, helping your family to reconnect and establish or advance your lives together in the U.S.
How Do Family-Preference Green Cards Work in Middletown, OH?
To start, the family member in Middletown, OH who is either a United States citizen or permanent resident files Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. This form proves the family relationship needed for sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member who is not in the United States has to stand by for visas to be available depending on when they applied and the yearly visa caps that Congress imposed. If the applying relative is already in the United States legally, they can request a status adjustment through forms that include the I-485.
Every eligible kind of family member has a defined preference categorization, which all have individual annual caps. As an example, F1, or First Preference, is for over 21-year-old, unmarried children of U.S. citizens. F1 is allocated only 23,400 of 226,000 family preference green cards each year. Middletown, OH applicants often wait for years and, in some cases, decades for family-sponsored green cards to become available.
Should You Hire a Family Immigration Attorney in Middletown, OH?
The legal immigration process takes a lot of time and consistent effort and legal understanding. USCIS does not currently release specific wait times for the processing of family-based petitions, which can fluctuate substantially based on where you're immigrating from and your preference category. With that being said, there are reports of more than fifteen-year waits for F4, or sibling, visas. If you're facing the potential of such a long wait, it's necessary to file as early as is feasible and with complete accuracy. Your Middletown, OH family immigration lawyer can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and ensure everything is properly filed for the correct visa.
Immigration lawyers in Middletown, OH can assist you in complying with regulations and laws that change regularly and clarify confusing paperwork. They know the application’s schedules 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 shorten potential delays, experience a smoother application, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Family Immigration Attorney: Why Pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Middletown, OH
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Middletown, OH. Our founder relocated to the United States as an immigrant, and our team includes many individuals who are immigrants or have family members who immigrated here. Our multilingual, multicultural team of attorneys can help your family navigate the legal immigration process and experience some of the industry's highest rates of success.* We're ready to assist with all of your family's legal immigration needs. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.