Elizabeth, PA Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Family Preference Green Card permits particular family members of permanent residents and U.S. citizens to gain permanent residency in Elizabeth, PA and all of the United States. With U.S. citizens, family members that can be brought to the U.S. with this green card include minor and adult children, spouses 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 and spouses.
Green Cards for Family Preference Immigrants are different in application from immediate family member green cards, which are designated for a U.S. citizen's parents, spouses, and minor children. A family green card attorney in Elizabeth, PA can assist your family in determining the appropriate category of green card to apply for, helping your family to reconnect and establish or expand your life in the U.S. together.
How Do Elizabeth, PA Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To get started, the family member located in Elizabeth, PA who is a lawful permanent resident or a U.S. citizen files Form I-130, known as a Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection necessary for the sponsorship. When USCIS later approves the petition, the family member outside the United States must remain waiting until visas are obtainable based on the date they apply 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 by filing forms including I-485.
Each category of eligible relative is assigned a preference category, 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. It's common for Elizabeth, PA applicants to wait for many years or in many instances, decades for family preference green cards to open up.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Immigration Lawyer in Elizabeth, PA?
Going through the immigration process is time-consuming and requires substantial work and particular know-how. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can fluctuate substantially depending on the country you’re immigrating from and your preference category. However, there are many reports of fifteen-year or greater waits for sibling, or F4, visas. With this kind of potential wait, you must apply as early as possible and with the utmost accuracy. Your Elizabeth, PA family immigration lawyer can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and help ensure that it is properly filed for your desired visa.
Immigration lawyers in Elizabeth, PA can assist you with understanding laws and regulations that change constantly and interpret complex documentation. They have a grasp of application timetables 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 may be able to get the visa much quicker, enjoy a more streamlined process, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Elizabeth, PA as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Elizabeth, PA. Our founder personally immigrated to the United States, and numerous members of our team 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 help with your and your family member's immigration needs. Start today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar result.