Family-Based Green Card Attorneys in Athens, PA
A Green Card for Family Immigrants enables specific relatives of current U.S. citizens and permanent residents to gain permanent residency in Athens, PA and the entire United States. For U.S. citizens, the relatives they can bring to the U.S. with this type of green card include minor and adult children, spouses and siblings (if the citizen is 21 years or older). With lawful permanent U.S. residents, eligible family members for this type of green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Green Cards for Family Preference Immigrants have a different path from green cards for immediate family members, which are meant for parents, spouses, and minor children of U.S. citizens. Your Athens, PA family green card lawyer can assist your family in determining the most fitting category of green card, helping you reunite with your family and establish or advance your lives together in the U.S.
How Do Family-Based Green Cards Work in Athens, PA?
To get started, the family member located in Athens, PA who is a US citizen or permanent resident files Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection necessary for the sponsorship. When USCIS later approves the petition, the family member who is out of the country has to stand by for visas to be available depending on when they applied and the annual visa limits that Congress authorized. If the applying relative is already in the United States legally, they can request for their immigration status to be adjusted through form I-485 and others.
Each category of eligible relative is assigned a preference category, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. For example, First Preference, or F1, is designated for unmarried children who are 21 or older of United States citizens. Only 23,400 family preference green cards are allocated to F1 out of 226,000 total each year. Many Athens, PA applicants end up waiting for years or even decades for family preference green cards to open up.
The Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Green Card Lawyer in Athens, PA
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 vary significantly depending on the country 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. With that kind of waiting period, it's critical that you file as soon as you can and with the utmost accuracy. Athens, PA family immigration attorneys can help you with the documentation and correctly file it for your specific visa type.
Your Athens, Pennsylvania immigration attorney can assist you in complying with regulations and laws that change regularly and understand complicated documents. They have a grasp of application timetables and can coach you or your family members prior to visa interviews. With knowledgeable legal professionals in your corner, you may be able to get the visa much quicker, benefit from a smoother experience, and increase your chances of a favorable outcome.
Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Athens, PA: Your Family Immigration Attorney
If you or a family member plans to apply for a family preference green card, select Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Athens, PA. Our founder immigrated to the U.S. herself, and many of our team members are immigrants or have family members who immigrated here. Our multicultural, multilingual team will advise your family throughout the legal immigration structure as we offer some of the industry’s highest success rates.* We're eager to assist with all of your family's legal immigration needs. Get started with a free case evaluation today.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee future outcomes.