Saint Johnsbury, VT Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Green Card for Family Immigrants enables specified family members of permanent residents and U.S. citizens to gain permanent residency in Saint Johnsbury, VT and the rest of the U.S. If someone is a U.S. citizen, family members that can be brought to the U.S. with this type of green card include minor and adult children, spouses and siblings (providing that the citizen is over 21). For lawful permanent residents, relatives who could qualify for this type of green card include spouses and unmarried children of any age.
Family preference green cards differ in process from immediate family green cards, which are designated for a U.S. citizen's parents, spouses, and minor children. Family green card attorneys in Saint Johnsbury, VT can assist your family in determining the right green card category to pursue, helping your family to reconnect and begin or expand your life in the U.S. together.
How Do Saint Johnsbury, VT Family-Based Green Cards Work?
First, the Saint Johnsbury, VT family member who is a lawful permanent resident or a U.S. citizen has to file Form I-130, which is the Petition for Alien Relative. This form proves the family relationship required for sponsorship. As soon as that form is approved, the family member who lives abroad has to stand by for visas to be available based on their application date and the yearly visa caps that Congress imposed. If the relative is legally in the U.S. already, they can request a status adjustment through forms that include the I-485.
Each eligible type of relative is assigned a preference category, which each have their own annual limits. First Preference, or F1, for example is for the unmarried, over 21-year-old children of United States citizens. F1 is allocated only 23,400 of 226,000 family preference green cards each year. Saint Johnsbury, VT applicants often wait for years and, in some cases, decades for a family-sponsored green card to come.
What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Family-Based Immigration Lawyer in Saint Johnsbury, VT?
The legal immigration process takes a lot of time and substantial work and legal understanding. USCIS does not publish wait times for adjudication of family-based petitions, which can change considerably depending on your country of origin and your designated preference category. However, some F4 (sibling) visa applicants have reported waits of more than fifteen years. With this kind of potential wait, it's imperative that you apply as soon as possible and with all of your correct data . A family immigration attorney in Saint Johnsbury, VT can assist with all the required paperwork and help ensure that it is properly filed for your desired visa.
Your Saint Johnsbury, Vermont immigration attorney can assist you with understanding laws and regulations that change constantly and interpret complex documentation. They have a grasp of application timetables and can assist you and your family members in getting ready for visa interviews. With knowledgeable legal professionals in your corner, you can shorten potential delays, enjoy a more streamlined process, and improve your family's chances to achieve the desired outcome.
Family Immigration Attorney: Why Pick Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Saint Johnsbury, VT
When you or a family member decides to pursue a family-based green card, select Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Saint Johnsbury, VT. Our founder moved to the United States as an immigrant, and numerous members of our team are immigrants or have immigrant family members themselves. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys will assist your family through the legal immigration system and enjoy some of the industry's highest rates of approval.* We're eager to assist with your and your family member's immigration needs. Start today with a free case evaluation.
*Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar result.