West Point, VA Family-Based Green Card Attorneys
A Family Preference Green Card permits certain relatives of United States citizens and permanent residents to gain permanent residency in West Point, VA and the entire United States. For U.S. citizens, relatives eligible to come to the U.S. under this type of green card include spouses, children (whether single or married) and siblings (providing that the citizen is over 21). If someone is a lawful permanent resident, eligible family members for this type of green card include spouses, unmarried children under 21, and unmarried children over 21.
Family preference permanent resident cards have a different path from green cards for immediate family members, which are designed for the parents, minor children, and spouses of U.S. citizens. A family green card attorney near you in West Point, VA can help your family decide the correct type of green card category, reconnecting you with your family so you can create and continue your life together in the United States.
Family-Based Green Cards: How Do They Work in West Point, VA?
To begin, the West Point, VA family member who is a lawful permanent resident or a U.S. citizen must file Form I-130, called a Petition for Alien Relative. This form verifies the familial connection needed for sponsorship. Once that petition is approved, the family member who is not in the United States must wait for visas to become accessible 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 has a set annual cap specific to that category. For example, First Preference, or F1, is assigned to U.S. citizens’ children who are older than 21 and unmarried. Only 23,400 family preference green cards are allocated to F1 out of 226,000 total each year. Often, West Point, VA applicants have to wait for years or in some cases, even decades for a family-sponsored green card to come.
Why Hire a Family-Based Immigration Attorney in West Point, VA?
The legal immigration process takes a lot of time and hard work and legal knowledge. The processing times for family-based petitions are not made available by the United States Citizens and Immigration Services, which can change considerably depending on the country you’re immigrating from and which preference category you belong to. With that being said, there are reports of more than fifteen-year waits for F4, or sibling, visas. With this kind of potential wait, it's necessary to file as early as is feasible and with the utmost accuracy. Your West Point, VA family immigration lawyer can help you with the documentation and ensure everything is properly filed for the correct visa.
An immigration attorney in West Point, VA can also help you navigate regulations and laws that change regularly and understand complicated documents. They have a grasp of application timetables and can assist you and your family members in getting ready for visa interviews. With experienced legal representation on your side, you can minimize delays, enjoy a more streamlined process, and increase your probability of a positive result.
Why Choose Weinstock Immigration Lawyers As Your West Point, VA 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 West Point, VA. Our founder personally immigrated to the United States, and numerous members of our team are immigrants or have family members who immigrated here. Our multicultural, multilingual attorneys can help your family navigate the legal immigration process and experience some of the industry's highest rates of success.* We’re here to help with all of your family's legal immigration needs. Reach out today for a case evaluation at no cost.
*Disclaimer: Previous results do not guarantee the same results.