The United States has a history of being a place where people could come for a new start. Even though immigrating may begin with one person, families hope to eventually reunite. The importance of family and the belief that family members should be together are long-held and cherished values in the U.S.
Because of this, the U.S. immigration system includes pathways for certain family members of individuals who have already arrived here. However, the process is not always simple. Working with an experienced immigration attorney at New Frontier Immigration Law can help your family navigate the important rules and deadlines to avoid problems that might prevent a happy reunion. Our family-based immigration lawyers assist families in Mesa who hope to bring relatives to the United States.
The family-based immigration visa system allows U.S. citizens or permanent residents to sponsor non-citizen family members. This program enables visa holders to lawfully join their family in the United States, allowing them to live and work legally in the United States. Eventually, these visas can be a path to permanent residency, making immigrant family members into green card holders.
Family-based immigration petitions are almost always initiated within the United States. To begin the process, the U.S.-based family member, who is known as the petitioner, submits a petition to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on behalf of their relative. The petitioner must also pay any necessary processing fees and provide all information necessary to support the petition.
There are two types of family-based visas: immediate relative and family preference. Our family immigration lawyers will help a family sponsor in Mesa determine the application pathway.
The immediate relative category includes very close family members including spouses, widow(er)s, unmarried children under the age of 21, and parents. Petitioners must be U.S. citizens to use this route, but it is preferred for eligible relatives because USCIS gives these visa priority. Additionally, there is no cap or limit for the number of visas USCIS can issue each year in this category.
The family preference category can be used by U.S. citizens or U.S. permanent residents, but the rules are different for each. U.S. citizens may use the family preference visa to petition for unmarried children age 21 or over, married children, or their own siblings. U.S. permanent residents may only petition for immediate family members such as spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21.
Often, people do not understand that these pathways cannot be used to bring any and all family members. Relatives like grandparents, aunts, uncles, and other extended family members are not eligible for this visa. Without the right advice, petitioners can waste time, money, and resources only to file the wrong paperwork for other relatives. Additionally, there are caps on the number of family preference visas that can be issued each year, so the wait list can be very long. Mesa applicants should reach out to a lawyer to assist with the paperwork or possibly find other routes for extended family members who are not eligible.
Family immigration is an important way to keep families together and build stronger communities in Arizona. But with the strict requirements and sometimes confusing paperwork, it is easy to make a mistake that causes delays. Don’t give up.
At New Frontier Immigration Law, we can give you the best advice about how to make sure your loved ones secure a legal path to the United States. If you hope to clear the pathway for family members to immigrate here, contact New Frontier Immigration Law today to speak with a Mesa family immigration lawyer about sponsoring your family member.
