Cecil, PA Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Green Card for Family Preference Immigrants allows specified family members of current U.S. citizens and permanent residents to be granted permanent residence in Cecil, PA and the United States in general. If someone is a U.S. citizen, family members that can come to the U.S. with this category of green card include spouses, children (whether single or married) and siblings (as long as the U.S. citizen is at least 21 years old). For those who are lawful permanent residents, the relatives eligible for this green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Green Cards for Family Preference Immigrants differ in process from immediate family green cards, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney near you in Cecil, PA can help you to decide the right green card category to pursue, helping you unite with your family to begin or advance your lives together in the U.S.
How Do Family-Preference Green Cards Work in Cecil, PA?
To start, the family member in Cecil, PA who is either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident needs to file Form I-130, which is the 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 remain waiting until visas are obtainable depending on when they applied and the annual visa quotas authorized by Congress. If the relative is legally in the U.S. already, they can request a status adjustment with various forms including I-485.
Each eligible type of relative is given preference classification, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. For example, First Preference, or F1, is for over 21-year-old, unmarried children of U.S. citizens. Only 23,400 family preference green cards are allocated to F1 out of 226,000 total each year. It's common for Cecil, PA 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 Cecil, PA?
Navigating the immigration procedures takes time and hard work and legal knowledge. The processing times for family-based petitions are not made available by the United States Citizens and Immigration Services, which can fluctuate substantially depending on the country you’re immigrating from and which preference category you belong to. With that being said, there are reports of more than fifteen-year waits for F4, or sibling, visas. When you face this kind of potential delay, you must apply as early as possible and with accurate information. A family immigration attorney in Cecil, PA can help you with the documentation and ensure that you file it correctly for the proper visa type.
An immigration attorney in Cecil, PA can also help you navigate regulations and laws that change regularly and understand complicated documents. They have a grasp of application timetables and can assist you and your family members in getting ready for visa interviews. With knowledgeable legal professionals in your corner, you can reduce wait times, enjoy a more streamlined process, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Cecil, PA: Your Family Immigration Attorney
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, turn to Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Cecil, PA. Our founder moved to the United States as an immigrant, and a large number of our team members are also immigrants or have family members who immigrated here. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys will advise your family throughout the legal immigration structure as we offer some of the industry’s highest success rates.* We're ready to help with all of your immigration requirements. Get started with a free case evaluation today.
*Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar result.