Family connections are the foundation of many visa applications for residency in the United States. This does not mean, however, that family-sponsored visa applications are easier to obtain than other visa applications.
If your loved ones plan to apply for a family-sponsored visa, a Melrose Park family immigration lawyer from the Godoy Law Office is your best resource for help with navigating the application process. Our team of immigration attorneys has substantial experience obtaining legal permanent residency for a sponsor’s spouse, children, and parents in the U.S., as well as joint sponsorships when immediate family members do not meet the sponsorship threshold requirements.
In the current era of heightened scrutiny of visa applications, families in Melrose Park and their immigration attorneys are likely to face questions concerning:
These and other issues that you might face will always be a function of your and your family’s specific situation. An attorney from our firm can identify those issues and prepare resolutions for them before you and your incoming family member begin the visa application process.
Melrose Park families can choose from two broad categories of visas: immediate relative (IR) visas and family preference visas. The U.S. does not cap the annual number of IR visas, but it does impose annual limits on the number of family preference visas that can be issued.
Your family immigration lawyer in Melrose Park will determine which category and visa option will best suit your needs. For immediate relatives, your lawyer might recommend:
Other family members may have the opportunity to apply for family preference visas, which the U.S. currently caps at 226,000 per year. These visas are open to unmarried children over 21, minor children, spouses of lawful permanent residents (i.e., green card holders), and married children or siblings of U.S. citizens.
Given that IR visas are not subject to annual caps, an attorney will first determine an applicant’s eligibility for an IR visa before shifting to the family preference categories.
An immigrant’s sponsor and any joint sponsors begin the family immigration process by filing a Form I-130 to verify that they are eligible to sponsor the immigrant as a close family member who has the financial and other resources necessary to support the immigrant. If the National Visa Center approves the I-130 petition, the immigrant files a visa application either through the consular process if they are not on U.S. soil, or with a Form I-485, Adjustment of Status, if they are in the United States. A Melrose Park family immigration attorney can provide the crucial guidance necessary to complete and file these forms properly, with no omissions or inaccuracies.
Call Godoy Law Office Immigration Lawyers today to schedule a consultation with a Melrose Park family immigration lawyer and learn how we can help you bring your family members into the U.S. with valid visas to establish lawful permanent residency.
