GUIDE TO GET GREEN CARD FOR YOUR FAMILY IN THE UNITED STATES

Introduction – US Green Card for Family.

Lots of folks in the United States have family members living in other countries and they are wondering if they can bring them over. The good news is, it is doable.

If you are an American citizen or have a green card, you can help your family move to the US by getting them an immigrant visa. This is the first step to getting a green card, which is part of the US’s goal to keep families together. Green cards are the official papers that let you live and work in the US as a permanent resident.

But how do you go about getting green cards for your family members living abroad? The basic steps are the same whether you are an American citizen or a permanent resident.

When it comes to getting a green card, it is super important to pay close attention to every little detail. That is why you might want to hire an immigration lawyer to help you out. How long it takes can vary a lot, depending on things like your own immigration status, where your relative lives, your family ties, and your relative’s personal situation.

If you are not sure how to do it, you might not get the best results from the process. So, here are a few key things you need to know about the process.

Who can you help get US Green Card for Family?

A lot of people think that if one person from your family moves to the US, they can all get green cards too, thanks to something called “chain migration.” But that is not really how it works. It is actually a lot more complicated and not as simple as that.

You can’t just get green cards for everyone in your family who lives outside the US. The people you can help get green cards fall into two main categories: immediate relatives and family preference relatives.

If you are an immediate relative of someone who is already a US citizen, you can go ahead and apply for an immigrant visa. Immediate relatives include your spouse, kids, and parents. You can start the process right away, so you don’t have to wait for it to happen in your home country. You need to be 21 or older to do this.

There are also different family preference groups. The first one is for single sons and daughters of US citizens, no matter their age. The second one includes spouses, kids under 21, and kids who are over 21 but have a permanent resident parent. The third one is for the kids of US citizens who are married, no matter their age. The fourth one is for the siblings of US citizens, which includes their spouses and kids.

If you are in the second or third preference group, you will have to wait a long time for your visa, especially if there are a lot of people waiting in line. The wait times can be anywhere from a few months to many years.

If you are not sure who you can help get green cards, you can talk to an immigration lawyer for more info.

How do you get started regarding US Green Card for Family? 

If you are a US citizen or a permanent resident filing a form I-130 to help your relatives immigrate, you need to fill out that form. It asks for proof of your immigration status and your family ties. You will also need to provide documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, and proof that your marriage is legit. Reach out to the person handling your case and make sure you keep copies of everything you send in.

If your documents don’t meet the requirements, USCIS will send you a notice saying so, and if they don’t, they will ask for more evidence. Once everything checks out, you will get a notice from USCIS letting you know where your case is headed.

It is a smart move to get an immigration lawyer to help you keep an eye on your case. For relatives outside the US or someone in the US with a special visa preference, your case goes to the National Visa Center (NVC). They will hold onto your file until it is your turn to get a visa.

Your relative can’t just get into the US right away (unless they qualify for another visa, which can be tricky since USCIS might suspect they are just trying to sneak into the US to stay).

Once you file your petition, it becomes your “priority date.” The US Department of State updates the “priority date” in the Visa Bulletin every month.

Sorting out other forms – US Green Card for Family

Once the NVC sorts out the visa case using the priority date, there is still a bunch of steps left to go. You will need to fill out the form I-864 and pay the fees that come with it. Also, you will have to get the form DS-260 done and send it in.

The necessary checks

After you have those forms filled out and sent off, your family member will get booked for a bunch of checks at a consulate. This includes getting checked out medically, having their background checked by the police, and getting their fingerprints taken. After that, they will get a call to come in for an in-person interview.

The interview process – US Green Card for Family

During the interview, your family member will chat with a US consulate officer. It is key for your family members to bring extra copies of their documents and proof of your family ties. The officer will ask about your personal relationship and make sure everything checks out. If everything looks good, they will give the approval, stamping your relative’s passport with their immigrant status and the date they got approved. Usually, this stamping happens in a few weeks at the US embassy.

It is a good idea for your family members to get an immigration lawyer to help them get through the interview smoothly.

Interview with the CBP

The last thing before your family member gets to the US is their final interview with a CBP (Customs and Border Protection) agent at a US port of entry. Even though the visa has been approved by the US Embassy, this is the last chance to clear things up with the CBP agent. They will ask about any criminal records, serious health issues, or past immigration slip-ups.

It is super important for your family member to be careful with their answers and to get in touch with an immigration lawyer if they have any questions right before the interview.

US Green Card for Family Process

Once they are in the US, you can start the process of getting your family member a green card. An immigration lawyer can help guide you through this. After that, your family member will get their permanent resident card (I-551) a few weeks after they arrive in the US.

Get help!

Witnessing families come together again after being separated by distance in the US is truly a stunning experience. However, the path to making this happen can be exhausting and seemingly unproductive without the proper assistance.

At Gehi and Associates, we recognize the significance of family reunions in the US and have dedicated ourselves to assisting numerous families in achieving this goal. Our immigration lawyer is here to guide you through the necessary steps to ensure a smooth and cost-effective process.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to us!