Santee, SC Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Green Card for Family Preference Immigrants allows specific relatives of United States citizens and permanent residents to become permanent residents of Santee, SC, and the United States in general. With U.S. citizens, the relatives they can bring to the U.S. under this type 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). If someone is a lawful permanent resident, relatives who could qualify for this type of green card include unmarried children and spouses.
Family preference green cards 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 in Santee, SC can help your family decide the appropriate category of green card to apply for, helping you reunite with your family and build or advance your lives together in the U.S.
How Do Family-Preference Green Cards Work in Santee, SC?
To start, the family member in Santee, SC who is a US citizen or permanent resident files Form I-130, known as a 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 not in the United States has to stand by for visas to be 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 petition for a status adjustment by filing forms including I-485.
Every relative type who is eligible is given preference classification, which has a set annual cap specific to that category. For example, First Preference, or F1, is designated for unmarried children who are 21 or older of United States citizens. F1 is allocated 23,400 of 226,000 available yearly family preference green cards. Often, Santee, SC applicants have to wait for years and, in some cases, decades for a family-sponsored green card to come.
Why Hire a Family-Based Immigration Attorney in Santee, SC?
The legal immigration process takes a lot of time and significant efforts and legal understanding. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can fluctuate substantially based on where you're immigrating from and your designated preference category. However, there are many reports of fifteen-year or greater waits for sibling, or F4, visas. If you're facing the potential of such a long wait, you must apply as early as possible and with the utmost accuracy. Family immigration lawyers near you in Santee, SC can assist with all the required paperwork and correctly file it for your specific visa type.
Immigration lawyers in Santee, SC can help you understand the constantly 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. With experienced attorneys representing 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 Santee, SC as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member is applying for a family preference green card, choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Santee, SC. Our founder relocated to the United States as an immigrant, and many of our team members are immigrants or have immigrant family members themselves. Our multilingual, multicultural team of attorneys will assist your family through the legal immigration system as we offer some of the industry’s highest success rates.* We’re here to help with your and your family member's immigration needs. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.