Helping Immigrant Families Get Green Cards
Whether you moved to the United States from a different country or have family living outside the U.S., you might be thinking about how to bring your loved ones here so you can be close to them. Fortunately, family-based immigration gives you the opportunity to do so, as long as you’re a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Of course, you’ll have to get through the complex immigration process first, which experienced immigration attorneys can help you with.
If you’re ready to talk to an Alabama immigration lawyer about helping family members move to the U.S., contact The Chidolue Law Firm to schedule a consultation. Our legal team understands the appeal of having relatives nearby for the support and companionship only family can offer, so we’d be happy to provide the immigration law services you need. Call us for a free initial consultation with an Alabama immigration attorney.
Can You Apply for an Immediate Relative Visa?
Before you begin your family immigration case, consider the type of visa you can pursue for your relatives. Your immigration status makes a big difference here, since you must have citizenship to qualify for some. For example, if you want an immediate relative visa, you must be a U.S. citizen applying to bring certain immediate relatives to live with you.
More specifically, if you’re a U.S. citizen who is 18 or older, you can petition for a spouse and unmarried children under 21 to immigrate to the U.S. through the immediate relative visa. You can also help your parents immigrate here as long as you’re 21 or older.
The U.S. immigration system doesn’t have a limit on the number of immediate relative visas issued each year. This is why it’s the recommended way to help close family members immigrate quickly, often within months of applying since there aren’t waiting periods to deal with. Skilled immigration lawyers can let you know if your immediate relatives are eligible to get green cards this way, so call our Alabama law office today to discuss your family immigration case.
Should You Apply for a Family Preference Visa?
The family preference visa is another way for families to reunite in the U.S. Whether you’re a U.S. citizen who wants to bring extended family to this country or a permanent resident who wants to bring close relatives here, you can likely use this visa.
The family members you can sponsor depends on your legal status in the U.S. If you have U.S. citizenship, you can sponsor your adult children and siblings with this visa. If you’re a legal permanent resident, you can use this family immigration option to bring your unmarried children and spouse here. However, as the name of the family preference visa implies, some relatives get first preference over others, which means they can immigrate faster. These are the categories in order of highest to lowest priority according to U.S. immigration law:
- Adult children of U.S. citizens, as long as they’re 21 or older and unmarried
- Spouses, unmarried adult children, and unmarried minor children of permanent residents
- Married children of U.S. residents, as well as their spouses and minor children
- Siblings of U.S. citizens, as well as their spouses and minor children
Federal law limits the number of family preference visas given out every year, leading to lengthy waiting periods for immigrants who are outside the first preference category. If you’re worried about this and want to find out how long it will take for your family’s immigration applications to be accepted, contact an experienced immigration lawyer for a consultation. You deserve to have peace of mind throughout the family-based immigration process, and that’s what compassionate Alabama immigration lawyers can offer when they represent you. Call our immigration law firm to learn more about immigration cases like yours.
Can You Help Your Fiancé Immigrate from Another Country?
While most family-based immigration options focus on helping spouses, parents, children, and other relatives come to the U.S., there are ways to bring your fiancé here, too. If you’re a U.S. citizen willing to get married within three months of your fiancé’s arrival, you can use the K-1 visa for a quick immigration process.
With this immigration option, you must prove the validity of your relationship with your fiancé. Be prepared to show emails, text messages, and social media messages and posts that suggest you’re a couple. You also need to prove that you and your fiancé have spent time together in person within the last two years, so you should gather any photos or social media posts that could serve as proof of this.
In addition, you need to prove that you’re eligible to get married, which means you must show that you’ve never been married or that any previous marriages were legally terminated. Finally, you must show that you have enough money to support yourself and your fiancé, since they won’t be legally allowed to work at first.
Once you prove that you and your fiancé qualify for the K-1 visa, your fiancé will need to attend one or more interviews and pass a background check before they can come to the U.S. Once they arrive, you will have 90 days to get married. If your fiancé has unmarried children under the age of 21, they’ll likely be allowed to come to the U.S. with them through the K-1 visa.
After the wedding, you can petition the government for an adjustment of status so your fiancé gets a green card. If you have any concerns about this process, contact our Alabama immigration law office to speak with a knowledgeable immigration attorney. We have the awareness and understanding of U.S. immigration laws necessary to help immigration cases go smoothly for the clients we represent, so we’d be happy to offer the immigration services you need.
Why Do You Need a Family Immigration Attorney in Alabama to Represent You?
We know how complex and intimidating U.S. immigration laws can be when you don’t have years of experience dealing with them, so we urge you to call us if you’re considering using family-based immigration visas to bring your loved ones here. All immigration matters require you to adhere to strict rules and deadlines for the best possible outcome, which means you can’t take any chances with your immigration case. Missing one deadline or filling out one form incorrectly can cause your application to be delayed or denied, so it’s best to get help from an Alabama immigration attorney from the start.
When you hire The Chidolue Law Firm, you’ll have legal guidance from a caring immigration attorney who has personal experience with family-based immigration. We understand how important it is for your family member to get a green card as soon as possible, so you can expect us to go above and beyond to get the results you want. Call our Alabama immigration law office today at 407-995-6567 for a free consultation with a trusted immigration attorney.
