Family Based Green Card
A United States citizen or permanent resident may sponsor their family members for permanent residency and/or US citizenship. For immediate relatives of US citizens (spouses, parents and unmarried children under age of 21), the process is streamlined and all the paperwork can be filed at the same time. All other applicants must undertake a three stage process. First, the petitioner must file an immigrant petition for his or her relative. Second, the beneficiary must wait for an immigrant visa number to become available. And third, if the relative may apply then apply for permanent residency and obtain a green card.
The filing of an immigrant petition does not give the beneficiary legal status. If the beneficiary wishes to wait for an immigrant visa number in the US, he or she must obtain a nonimmigrant family visa or work visa. Otherwise, the beneficiary must wait outside of the US borders.
Under current federal immigration law, a US citizens may sponsor:
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A husband or wife;
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An unmarried child under 21;
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An unmarried son or daughter over 21;
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A married son or daughter of any age; or
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A parent, if the petitioner is 21 or older.
US permanent residents may sponsor:
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A husband or wife; or
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An unmarried son or daughter of any age.
Contact a Texas Immigration Lawyer at Bertolino LLP
Bertolino LLP maintains offices in Austin, Houston and San Antonio. To reach an attorney in the Austin office, call 512.476.5757. For the Houston office, call 713.225.7474. You may also contact the firm by e-mail.
