Portland, PA Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Green Card for Family Preference Immigrants allows specified family members of permanent residents and U.S. citizens to become permanent residents of Portland, PA, and the rest of the U.S. For U.S. citizens, family members that can be brought to the U.S. under this type of green card include children, spouses and siblings (if the citizen is 21 years or older). With lawful permanent U.S. residents, the relatives eligible 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 for spouses, parents, and minor children of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney in Portland, PA can help you determine the right green card category to pursue, helping your family to reconnect and create or expand your life in the U.S. together.
How Do Family-Preference Green Cards Work in Portland, PA?
To start, the family member in Portland, PA who is either a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident needs to file Form I-130, known as a Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection required for sponsorship. As soon as that form is approved, 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 current visa limits imposed by law. If the family member is legally in the United States, they can petition for a status adjustment with various forms including I-485.
Each category of eligible relative has a defined preference categorization, which each have their own annual limits. As an example, F1, or First Preference, 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. Many Portland, PA applicants end up waiting for years or even decades for family-sponsored green cards to become available.
The Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Green Card Lawyer in Portland, PA
The United States immigration procedure is time-consuming and necessitates substantial work and legal understanding. The processing times for family-based petitions are not made available by the United States Citizens and Immigration Services, which can vary significantly depending on your country of origin and your designated 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 critical that you file as soon as you can and with the utmost accuracy. Family immigration lawyers near you in Portland, PA can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and ensure everything is properly filed for the correct visa.
Your Portland, Pennsylvania immigration attorney can also help you navigate constantly changing laws and regulations and understand complicated documents. They have a grasp of application timetables and can help your family get ready for eventual visa interviews. When you have a strong legal team working with you and your family, you can shorten potential delays, undergo a more seamless process, and improve your family's chances to achieve the desired outcome.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Portland, PA as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member is applying for a family preference green card, partner with the professionals at Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Portland, PA. Our founder personally immigrated to the United States, and many of our team members are immigrants or have close family who are immigrants. Our multilingual, multicultural team of attorneys can guide your family through the immigration procedures as we offer some of the industry’s highest success rates.* We're ready to help with all of your family's legal immigration needs. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee future outcomes.