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Green Card Sponsorship


Green Card Sponsorship

Make your family whole again through family Green Card sponsorship.

If you are a United States citizen, did you know that not only can you sponsor to bring your spouse to this country, but you can also petition to bring your parents, siblings, and adult and minor children?  Legal permanent residents (LPR) can also sponsor spouses and adult or minor unmarried children.  It can be a lengthy process, but one that can ultimately make your family whole again.

Who can you sponsor?

 If you are a United States citizen (USC), your spouse and minor children are considered immediate relatives.  Likewise, parents are also considered immediate relatives, however, the USC must be at least 21 years old to sponsor them.  Immediate relative classification means that once the filed family petition is approved, your spouse, parent, or minor child may immediately apply for residency or an immigrant visa – there is no wait time.  Where it becomes a little more complicated is when you are trying to sponsor married or unmarried adult children or brothers and sisters.  Or, if you are a legal permanent resident, trying to sponsor a spouse or unmarried minor or adult child.

 The wait varies depending upon how your relative is classified.

Siblings and adult children of United States citizens, as well as spouses and unmarried children of legal permanent residents are all considered Preference Relatives.  Each month the Department of State releases a Visa Bulletin dictating the wait time for each type of relative, depending on their country of origin.  For example, brothers and sisters of a United States citizen who have an approved petition will generally wait 14 years before a visa is available to them, however, if your sibling is Mexican, the wait time for a visa is more than 20 years.

Who in your family is ineligible for sponsorship? 

Those who are not considered eligible for sponsorship include grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, parents-in-law, and other extended family members such as nieces and nephews.

How are green cards for family members awarded?

Only a small percentage of greens cards go to any one country in any given year.  Visas for families in high number countries, such as India, Mexico, China, and the Philippines, typically wait longer than family members from other countries.  There are annual limits on how many immigrant visas are allowed, and it’s never known how many will be submitted in any given year, making it difficult to pinpoint an exact wait time from petition submission to visa issuance.

The best option is to have an experienced immigration attorney on your side.

If you are seeking to bring a family member to the United States, it’s important that you work with an experienced immigration lawyer to make sure a family petition, form I-130, is appropriate and possible, and completed and submitted correctly.  An experienced immigration lawyer can help guide you through what can be a complex process.

At Diaz Shafer, P.A., we offer expert assistance with any legal matter involving immigration, including immigration services for individuals, businesses, military personnel, and deportation defense.  We are experienced, multi-lingual, and proven in the courtroom. To learn more, visit www.diazshafer.com.