Stroudsburg, PA Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Family Preference Green Card permits specific relatives of United States citizens and permanent residents to gain permanent residency in Stroudsburg, PA and the entire United States. With U.S. citizens, relatives eligible to come to the U.S. with this type of green card include spouses, children (whether single or married) and siblings (as long as the citizen is at least 21). If someone is a lawful permanent resident, the family members who may qualify for this green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Family preference permanent resident cards differ in process from immediate family green cards, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. Family green card attorneys in Stroudsburg, PA can help your family decide the right green card category to pursue, helping you unite with your family to build or advance your lives together in the U.S.
Family-Based Green Cards: How Do They Work in Stroudsburg, PA?
First, the Stroudsburg, PA family member who is a US citizen or permanent resident must file Form I-130, also called the Petition for Alien Relative. This form helps demonstrate the family relation necessary for the sponsorship. When USCIS later approves the petition, the family member outside the United States are required to wait for visas to become available dependent on the date of submission and the current visa limits imposed by law. If the applicant is already in the U.S. legally, they can request for their immigration status to be adjusted by filing forms including I-485.
Each category of eligible relative is given preference classification, all of which have annual limits. For example, First Preference, or F1, is for the unmarried, over 21-year-old children of United States citizens. Only 23,400 family preference green cards are allocated to F1 out of 226,000 total each year. Stroudsburg, PA applicants often wait for years or in some cases, even decades for family preference green cards to be available.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Immigration Lawyer in Stroudsburg, PA?
The United States immigration procedure is time-consuming and necessitates hard work and legal knowledge. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can change considerably which varies based on your nationality and which preference category you belong to. However, some have reported fifteen-year or more wait for an F4 (sibling) visa. With this kind of potential wait, you must apply as early as possible and with complete accuracy. Stroudsburg, PA family immigration attorneys can assist with all the required paperwork and correctly file it for your specific visa type.
Your Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania immigration attorney can assist you in complying with constantly changing laws and regulations and clarify confusing paperwork. They know the application’s schedules and can assist you and your family members in getting ready for visa interviews. With experienced attorneys representing you and your family, you may be able to get the visa much quicker, benefit from a smoother experience, and improve your family's chances to achieve the desired outcome.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Stroudsburg, 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 Stroudsburg, PA. Our founder personally immigrated to the United States, and our team includes many individuals who are immigrants or have immediate family members who are immigrants. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys will advise your family throughout the legal immigration structure and enjoy some of the industry's highest rates of approval.* We're ready to assist with all of your immigration requirements. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar result.