Fairfax, VA Lawyers for Family-Based Green Cards
A Family Preference Green Card permits specified family members of United States citizens and permanent residents to themselves become permanent residents in Fairfax, VA and the United States in general. For 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 (if the citizen is 21 years or older). For those who are lawful permanent residents, relatives who could qualify for this type of green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Family preference permanent resident cards do not have the same process as green cards meant for immediate family, which are designated for a U.S. citizen's parents, spouses, and minor children. Your Fairfax, VA family green card lawyer can help your family decide the appropriate category of green card to apply for, helping you reunite with your family and establish and grow your lives together in the United States.
How Do Fairfax, VA Family-Based Green Cards Work?
To start, the family member in Fairfax, VA who is a lawful permanent resident or a U.S. citizen files Form I-130, which is the Petition for Alien Relative. The form demonstrates the 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 the date they apply and the annual visa limits that Congress authorized. If the applying relative is already in the United States legally, they can request for their immigration status to be adjusted by filing forms including I-485.
Each eligible type of relative falls into a category of preference, which all have individual annual caps. As an example, F1, or 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, Fairfax, VA 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 Fairfax, VA
Going through the immigration process is time-consuming and requires substantial work and in-depth expertise. The USCIS does not disclose estimated processing times for family-based petitions, which can vary significantly depending on the country 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. When you face this kind of potential delay, you must apply as early as possible and with accurate information. Fairfax, VA family immigration attorneys can help prepare all the necessary paperwork and ensure that you file it correctly for the proper visa type.
Immigration lawyers in Fairfax, VA can assist you with understanding laws and regulations that change constantly and understand complicated documents. 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, experience a smoother application, and boost your likelihood of success.
Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Fairfax, VA as Your Family Immigration Lawyer
When applying for a family-based green card, choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers in Fairfax, VA. Our founder personally immigrated to the United States, and a large number of our team members are also immigrants or have immigrant family members themselves. Our multilingual, multicultural team of attorneys can help your family navigate the legal immigration process as we offer some of the industry’s highest success 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 the same results.