Rapid City, SD Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Family Preference Green Card permits specified family members of United States citizens and permanent residents to become permanent residents of Rapid City, SD, and the entire United States. With U.S. citizens, relatives eligible to come to the U.S. with this type of green card include minor and adult children, spouses and siblings (as long as the citizen is at least 21). With lawful permanent U.S. residents, eligible family members for this type of green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Permanent residency cards based on family preference have a different path from green cards for immediate family members, which are designated for a U.S. citizen's parents, spouses, and minor children. A family green card attorney in Rapid City, SD can assist your family in determining the correct type of green card category, helping you reunite with your family and build or advance your lives together in the U.S.
How Do Rapid City, SD Family-Based Green Cards Work?
First, the Rapid City, SD family member who is a US citizen or permanent resident files Form I-130, which is the Petition for Alien Relative. This form proves the family relationship that qualifies for the sponsorship. Next, after USCIS approves the petition, the family member who is not in the United States are required to wait for visas to become available based on the date they apply 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 through forms that include the I-485.
Every eligible kind of family member is given preference classification, which each have their own annual limits. F1, for example, which is First Preference, 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. Often, Rapid City, SD applicants have to wait for years or in some cases, even decades for family preference green cards to open up.
The Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Green Card Lawyer in Rapid City, SD
The United States immigration procedure is time-consuming and necessitates consistent effort and in-depth expertise. The processing times for family-based petitions are not made available by the United States Citizens and Immigration Services, which can vary significantly based on where you're immigrating from and which preference category you belong to. However, some F4 (sibling) visa applicants have reported waits of more than fifteen years. If you're facing the potential of such a long wait, it's imperative that you apply as soon as possible and with accurate information. A family immigration attorney in Rapid City, SD can help you with the documentation and ensure everything is properly filed for the correct visa.
An immigration attorney in Rapid City, SD can help you understand the ever-changing laws and regulations and interpret complex documentation. They understand the tight application timeline and can help you or your family members prepare for visa interviews. When you have a strong legal team working with you and your family, you can reduce wait times, undergo a more seamless process, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Rapid City, SD as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, partner with the professionals at Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Rapid City, SD. Our founder moved to the United States as an immigrant, and a large number of our team members are also immigrants or have immediate family members who are immigrants. Our team of multicultural and multilingual lawyers can guide your family through the immigration procedures and benefit from some of the immigration industry's highest approval rates.* We're ready to help with all of your family's legal immigration needs. Start today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Past results do not ensure similar outcomes.