Belfast, PA Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Family Preference Green Card for authorizes specific relatives of permanent residents and U.S. citizens to become permanent residents of Belfast, PA, and all of the United States. If someone is a U.S. citizen, family members that can come to the U.S. with this type of green card include minor and adult children, spouses and siblings (providing that the citizen is over 21). For those who are lawful permanent residents, relatives who could qualify for this type of green card include spouses and unmarried children of any age.
Family preference green cards do not have the same process as green cards meant for immediate family, which are meant for parents, spouses, and minor children of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney in Belfast, PA can assist your family in determining the correct type of green card category, helping you unite with your family to establish or expand your life in the U.S. together.
Family-Based Green Cards: How Do They Work in Belfast, PA?
To get started, the family member located in Belfast, PA who is either a United States citizen or permanent resident files Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection that qualifies for the sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member who is out of the country must wait for visas to become accessible based on the date they apply and the annual visa quotas authorized by Congress. If the applicant is already in the U.S. legally, they can request a status adjustment through form I-485 and others.
Every relative type who is eligible has a defined preference categorization, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. F1, for example, which is First Preference, 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, Belfast, PA applicants have to wait for years or in many instances, decades for family-sponsored green cards to become available.
Why Hire a Family-Based Immigration Attorney in Belfast, PA?
Navigating the immigration procedures takes time and hard work and in-depth expertise. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can fluctuate substantially which varies based on your nationality and your preference category. However, some F4 (sibling) visa applicants have reported waits of more than fifteen years. With that kind of waiting period, you must apply as early as possible and with complete accuracy. Your Belfast, PA family immigration lawyer can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and help ensure that it is properly filed for your desired visa.
An immigration attorney in Belfast, PA can assist you in complying with constantly changing laws and regulations and understand complicated documents. They understand the application timelines and can help your family get ready for eventual visa interviews. With experienced legal representation on your side, you may be able to get the visa much quicker, undergo a more seamless process, and improve your family's chances to achieve the desired outcome.
Family Immigration Attorney: Why Pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Belfast, PA
If you or a family member plans to apply for a family preference green card, partner with the professionals at Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Belfast, PA. Our founder personally immigrated to the United States, and a large number of our team members are also immigrants or have immigrant family members themselves. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys can help your family navigate the legal immigration process 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. Get started with a free case evaluation today.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee future outcomes.