Green card holders can apply for their family members to immigrate to the United States as permanent residents.
For years, Rebecca Cohen has helped green card holders with the process of obtaining a green card for their family members. The in depth consultation will provide you with a professional review of all relevant paperwork, providing you with a clear idea of what to do next.
What is a Green Card?
A green card designates a person’s status as a permanent resident of the United States. Permanent residents, or green card holders, are allowed to live and work in the United States without limits on how long they can remain in the U.S.
How to Get a Green Card for a Family Member
Green card holders can only request a green card for certain family members. These eligible family members include:
- A spouse (such as a husband or wife)
- Unmarried children who are younger than 21 years old
- Unmarried son or daughter (21 or older)
Apply for a Green Card for a Family Member
There are several steps that must be taken for a green card holder to request that a family member be allowed to immigrate to the US and obtain a green card.
When You Apply For A Green Card for a Family Member, Use Form I-130
In order for green card holders to apply for a green card for a family member, the family member who already has a green card must complete and submit Form I-130, also known as Petition for Alien Relative.
You Must Prove You’re A Permanent Resident When You Apply For A Green Card for A Family Member
As part of this process to apply for a green card for a family member, the applicant must show proof that they are currently a permanent resident (also known as green card holder).
This green card application for a family member must also include proof of a green card holder’s relationship with the family member who they are applying for to gain admission to the United States. This means that the green card holder must provide evidence that they are related to the person who they’d like to come to the United States. If USCIS has asked you for additional evidence or you are not sure what evidence you need to prove your family relationship, contact today to set up a consultation.
If the green card holder or any member of their family has served or is serving in the U.S. military, additional conditions may apply that can make the green card application get processed faster. For example, if a green card holder has served in the U.S. military, their spouse or children may be eligible for naturalization.
Are you having difficulties with completing Form I-130 or providing proof that’s needed to complete the application? If so…
Preference Categories For a Green Card Application for a Family Member
Certain family members have higher priority when it comes to processing a green card application for a family member. This means that some family members can be granted admission to the United States faster than others. These high priority family relationships are established through preference categories. These preference categories correspond with visa availability and priority dates. Visa availability and priority date conditions determine when a family member can be admitted to the United States.
First Preference family members refer to unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens who are 21 years old or younger.
Second Preference, or 2A family members refers to green card holders’ spouse or unmarried children 21 years old or younger. In addition to 2A Second Preference family members, the Second Preference category also includes 2B family members. Family members who are included in the Second Preference 2B category include green card holders’ unmarried sons and daughters who are 21 years old or older.
Third Preference family members include married sons and daughters of US citizens. Third Preference sons and daughters of US citizens may be any age.
Fourth Preference family members include the brothers and sisters of adult US citizens. “Adult” is defined as anyone 21 years of age or older.
Confused on preference categories and when a family member can get a green card? An experienced immigration lawyer can help.
Green Card Holders’ Family Members May Also Be Able to Apply for a Green Card from the US
Relatives of green card holders who are in the United States legally when their priority date becomes current can apply to become legal permanent residences, also known as green card holders, by submitting a green card application on Form I-485.
For example, if a green card holders’ family member is in the United States on a work visa, the family member who has a work visa can use Form I-485 to apply for a green card.
Do You Need Help Getting a Green Card for a Family Member? Let’s Talk
The green card process can take a lot of time, and completing the right paperwork accurately and completely can be confusing.
While some immigration lawyers offer a free initial consultation, these free consultations can leave you with a lot of unanswered questions, making it difficult to know what to do next. To get meaningful guidance from an experienced immigration attorney…
Come Together With Help From An Experienced Immigration Lawyer
For many years, our team has helped families and couples come together by guiding our clients through the immigration system. We offer an initial, no obligation consultation. In this consultation, we’ll review your relevant paperwork and provide assistance for your specific situation. We’ll help you to avoid common problems that can delay your family or significant other from coming to the U.S. for years.