FAMILY-BASED IMMIGRATION
Permanent immigration in the U.S. comes
with a variety of rights and privileges.
One method to obtaining lawful permanent
residency is through a relative who is
either a citizen of the U.S. or a lawful
permanent resident.
Steps
There are two categories for unlimited
family-based immigration:
1. Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens:
A spouse, widow
or unmarried child under the age or 21
of a U.S. citizen. This
category also includes parents of adult
U.S. citizens
2. Returning Residents: Immigrants
who previously lived
in the U.S. under lawful permanent
resident status. These
individuals should be returning to live
in the U.S. after being broad for more than one year.
There are four preference categories for
limited family-based immigration:
1. First Preference: Unmarried children
over the age of 21 of
U.S. citizens.
2. Second Preference: Spouses of lawful
permanent residents,
their unmarried children under the age
of 21, and unmarried
children under the age of 21 of lawful
permanent residents.
3. Third Preference: Married children of
U.S. citizens.
4. Fourth Preference: Siblings of adult
U.S. citizens.
Your relative should first submit an
immigrant visa petition, I-130 Petition
for Alien Relative. This form should be
accompanied by proof of your
relationship to your relative.
Upon approval of this petition, the
Department of State will determine if an
immigrant visa number is available for
you. When a number becomes available,
you may apply for assignment of that
number.
Documents
In order to sponsor a relative for
lawful permanent residency, you must
prove the following:
1. You are a citizen or a lawful
permanent resident of the U.S.
2. You can support your relative at 125%
above the mandated
poverty line.
You must also show proof of your
relationship with your relative.
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