Many immigrant visas for legal entry or residency in the United States require an American sponsor. However, sponsoring an immigrant in Aurora is often a huge responsibility.
The process toward obtaining a green card, and eventually citizenship, is rigorous, takes time, and is challenging for people not versed in immigration law. Because of this, retaining the services of an attorney could help potential sponsors navigate immigration applications.
People looking to sponsor another person to assist him or her immigrate could be more challenging than many people know. There are numerous sponsorship categories and rules that could apply to each potential applicant.
A sponsor must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. Citizens who live abroad, such as military personnel, must provide evidence that their stay out of the country is only temporary.
In order to vouch for a family member, a sponsor is required to write a petition letter called an affidavit of support. According to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), this assurance document is a legal record.
Individuals who wish to sponsor an immigrant in Aurora may ask someone to share the responsibility. However, sponsors may not combine their incomes in order to meet the required income threshold for sponsorship.
In the event that a sponsor passes away after the approval of a visa petition, the USCIS may allow for someone to take the late sponsor’s place and assume responsibility. Because the original sponsor was a relative, the replacement sponsor must be family as well.
Whether a person is a sponsor, joint sponsor, or substitute sponsor, that person must be able to demonstrate adequate earnings. The income threshold is 125% or more of the U.S. poverty line for the relevant household size.
However, there is an exception that applies to soldiers as well as those sponsoring a spouse or child. In this instance, income must meet or exceed the poverty level for a family of the sponsor’s size.
A company, or prospective employer, may sponsor a foreign national for legal permanent residency based on a job offer. Employers first need to perform a labor certification.
A labor certification shows that, after a diligent search, there was not a pool of qualified applicants among U.S. citizens. Doing so and finding no relevant applicants could allow for a company to sponsor an immigrant.
Aliens may sponsor family members for refugee or asylum status if they were granted asylum in the past two years, or entered as a refugee during that period of time. Eligible family members include spouses and children.
Importantly, children must be under the age of 21 at the time of application, so time is of the essence when applying for sponsorship in Aurora. Moreover, in order to sponsor a spouse, the couple needs to have been married before the date the sponsor was granted asylum or refugee status.
Sometimes infants are born after the sponsor was granted asylum or entered as a refugee. The rule, in this case, is that the baby must have been conceived prior to entry into the United States. Put simply, in order for refugee or asylee sponsors to gain standing for their relatives, the family relationship must have been in existence before the sponsors were granted their own asylum or refugee designation.
If you are going to be sponsoring an immigrant in Aurora, you might need legal assistance.
Contact an immigration attorney in Aurora to discuss your options and ensure your compliance with United States immigration law. Do not waste time and chance sponsoring loved ones on your own. Reach out for a confidential consultation.
