Family unity has been one of the primary goals of immigration policy in the United States. A U.S. citizen or a green card holder can file a visa petition to bring certain family members to the United States, an action often known as sponsoring a family member. To qualify to sponsor a family member, citizens and permanent residents who sponsor relatives for immigration must have a certain level of earnings and financially support their sponsored family member.
Immigration laws set strict guidelines for which family relations are eligible to receive a green card, and in some cases, how many non-citizens can enter the U.S. per year based on that category. The processing time to sponsor a family member can vary. An experienced green card attorney can explain your qualifications to sponsor a family member and how long the process is likely to take.
A U.S. citizen can sponsor the following relatives for an immigrant visa as a legal permanent resident (LPR), also called a green card holder:
• a spouse or fiancé(e)
• a parent
• a sibling
• an unmarried minor child under 21 years old
• an adult child (regardless of marital status)
A green card holder (a foreign national in the U.S. with lawful permanent resident (LPR) status) can sponsor the following relatives for a green card:
• a spouse
• a minor child
• an unmarried adult child under the age of 21
The process of obtaining a green card for a family member can be complex and competitive. To help ensure that every step in the visa application process is completed to give the applicant the best opportunity for a speedy and successful outcome, a skilled immigration attorney can put their experience to work for you and review your circumstances to help you make the decisions to help you succeed. If you need help with applying for legal permanent resident status or another immigration issue, please contact our office at 630-912-0322.
