Family-Based Green Card Attorneys in Pawleys Island, SC
A Green Card for Family Immigrants enables certain relatives of people who are either U.S. citizens or permanent residents to become permanent residents of Pawleys Island, SC, and the rest of the U.S. For those who are U.S. citizens, family members that can be brought to the U.S. with this type of green card include spouses, children and siblings (providing that the citizen is over 21). For lawful permanent residents, eligible family members for this type of green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Family preference green cards differ in process from immediate family green cards, which are meant for parents, spouses, and minor children of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney in Pawleys Island, SC can help you determine the correct type of green card category, helping your family to reconnect and begin or advance your lives together in the U.S.
How Do Pawleys Island, SC Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To start, the family member in Pawleys Island, SC who is either a United States citizen or permanent resident needs to 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 who lives abroad are required to wait for visas to become available based on their application date 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.
Every relative type who is eligible has a defined preference categorization, which all have individual annual caps. F1, for example, which is 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. Often, Pawleys Island, SC applicants have to wait for years or in many instances, decades for a family-sponsored green card to come.
The Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Green Card Lawyer in Pawleys Island, SC
Navigating the immigration procedures takes time and substantial work and legal understanding. USCIS does not currently release specific wait times for the processing of family-based petitions, which can vary significantly depending on your country of origin and your preference category. However, some have reported fifteen-year or more wait for an F4 (sibling) visa. If you're facing the potential of such a long wait, you must apply as early as possible and with complete accuracy. A family immigration attorney in Pawleys Island, SC can assist with all the required paperwork and help ensure that it is properly filed for your desired visa.
An immigration attorney in Pawleys Island, SC can also help you navigate ever-changing laws and regulations and interpret complex documentation. They know the application’s schedules 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 may be able to get the visa much quicker, benefit from a smoother experience, and boost your likelihood of success.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Pawleys Island, SC as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Pawleys Island, SC. Our founder moved to the United States as an immigrant, and our team includes many individuals who are immigrants or have immediate family members who are immigrants. Our multilingual, multicultural team of attorneys can guide your family through the immigration procedures and benefit from some of the immigration industry's highest approval rates.* We’re here to help with your and your family's immigration necessities. Get started with a free case evaluation today.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee future outcomes.