Many immigrant visas require a person or company to sponsor the person seeking entry into the United States. The most common examples of this dynamic include family members looking to bring a relative into the country and companies who are taking advantage of the temporary and permanent worker visa programs.
In both of these examples, the sponsor needs to take great care to collect accurate information and submit complete documentation to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A failure to meet these obligations could lead to a delayed or rejected visa application. Even worse, knowingly providing false or misleading information may lead to criminal investigations of fraud.
Working with a lawyer could help parties sponsor an immigrant in Wheaton. An attorney could provide guidance to parties concerning the necessary documentation and work to lead them through the USCIS processes.
Perhaps the most common way that a person may sponsor a non-citizen for a visa is through the family-based immigrant visa program. This program allows United States citizens and green card holders to sponsor their relatives who live in other countries for entry into the United States.
The program separates immigrants into two categories. The first is immediate relatives such as spouses, unmarried children, and parents of adult citizens. There is no limit to how many people may receive these visas every year. The second category of people must submit to the family preference system. Here, legal permanent residents may sponsor relatives, and the process expands to siblings, adult children, and married children. There is a limited number of these visas, and people need to establish their own immigration status to provide relatives with the best chance for success.
When sponsoring a family member, the sponsor needs to meet the minimum age requirement. For most people, this age is 18. However, petitioners must be at least 21 when advocating for a sibling or parent. Additionally, this sponsor must have a principal residence in the United States and complete an affidavit of support using Form I-134. The form indicates that the new immigrant will not be a financial burden on the country. A lawyer could provide more information about the classes of visas available to family members and the steps that sponsoring an immigrant in Wheaton entail.
Another way that a party in the United States may sponsor an immigrant in Wheaton is through the worker visa programs. These may take the forms of both temporary workers or for those who are seeking to make a permanent home in America.
Temporary workers commonly seek a visa through the E or H-1 visa programs. These people come to the United States for a limited amount of time to perform a specific job. Once that time period ends, the worker must return home. Additionally, companies must sponsor these workers for entry. This includes obtaining a certification from the Department of Labor that the company has been unable to find American workers to fill the job opening.
Permanent worker visas operate under a similar concept. Here, a worker seeks to move to the United States on a permanent basis but does not necessarily need to have a job sponsor. However, sponsorship is required for the EB-2 and EB-3 visa programs. These are programs that allow employers to sponsor workers who have advanced degrees or who are skilled professionals or executives. Much like for the temporary visas, immigrants here will need to demonstrate a job offer from an employer who has obtained a labor certification.
Many potential immigrants to America do so on their own. True, they may have the help of a lawyer, but at its core, the application in an interaction with the USCIS and U.S. consulate.
However, certain people are only eligible to seek visas through the sponsorship of a third-party. This applies to family members of U.S. citizens and green card holders, as well as employers looking across international borders to fill a job opening. These sponsors have the obligation to provide accurate information about themselves as well as the immigrant. Failures to do so could lead to a failed application or potential civil or criminal penalties.
An attorney could help parties who are looking to sponsor an immigrant in Wheaton. This includes taking steps to evaluate when a sponsorship is necessary and completing the forms required to make this move a reality. Contact an attorney today to learn more about being an immigrant sponsor.
