Green Card Through Family Sponsorship

You might be able to get a family-based green card if you have a relative who is a U.S. citizen to sponsor you. Specific family relationships make this possible.

These relatives of U.S. citizens are:

• Spouses

• Unmarried children under 21 years

• Parents (if petitioner is at least 21 years old)

Children and siblings of U.S. citizens aged 21 and up can get green cards through their parents. Preference categories usually have longer wait times for these.

Petition Process

To start, your U.S. citizen family member needs to fill out Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, and send it to USCIS.

On this form, they need to show proof that they are a U.S. citizen and that they are related to the person applying.

If the petition is approved by USCIS, you can then apply for a green card. You can change your status if you are in the U.S. There will be consular processing if you are not.

For this, you need to fill out more forms and fees, get a medical exam, and go to a green card interview.

Benefits

If your family sponsors you for a green card, you can legally live and work in the U.S. Family-based green card applications often receive priority processing.

Because there are no annual limits on immediate relative green cards, the wait times are shorter than for other types of visas that do have strict limits.

Even though it can take a few months, this is still one of the easiest ways to become a permanent resident of the United States.

Immigration laws are complicated and so are the processes falling within for different applications. You can get help with your visa options and improve your chances of getting a green card by calling the Immigration Legal Center.

Specializing in complex immigration matters, the Immigration Legal Center helps clients through the entire process. They offer professional assistance in acquiring visas and U.S. immigration laws. You get personalized support and a high approval rate.