Can an Adult Child Sponsor Both Parents for Green Cards?
You may have put in the hard work to get citizenship status in the United States. Now, you may have time to focus on your next goal, which is to have your parents join you here as lawful permanent residents. Of course, if your parents are married, you may not want to split them up for an indefinite period by petitioning for their green cards one at a time. With this, please read on to discover whether, as an adult child, you can sponsor both parents for a green card at the same time, and how a seasoned Lyndhurst green card immigration lawyer at the Law Offices of Salvatore A. Falletta, LLC, can help you coordinate this legal process effectively.
As an adult child, can I sponsor both my parents for green cards at the same time?
You may be thrilled to learn that you can file separate green card petitions for each parent at the same time. Before you get too ahead of yourself, though, you must confirm that you meet the basic requirements of being a United States citizen, being 21 years old or older, and having a qualifying parent-child relationship with each.
Of note, after filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, you must submit Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. This is because the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) needs to know that your parent(s) will not become a public charge if they were to be admitted into the country.
So if you are looking to sponsor both your parents, you may be expected to meet higher financial expectations. That is, your income must be at least 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines for your total household size. So when you add two parents instead of one, and also consider yourself and your other dependents, the income limit may differ in the following ways:
- For a household of two: an income threshold of $27,050.
- For a household of three: an income threshold of $34,150.
- For a household of four: an income threshold of $41,250.
- For a household of five: an income threshold of $48,350.
- For a household of six or more: $48,350 plus $7,100 per additional member.
What financial evidence do I need to prove my ability to support both parents?
You may feel fortunate to be in a financial position where you can sponsor both parents for a green card simultaneously. But now it is just a matter of proving your capability to the USCIS. With that being said, you must supplement your Affidavit of Support with the following pieces of financial evidence:
- Your federal individual income tax return, W-2, and 1099 for the last three years.
- A letter from your employer confirming your job and pay stubs from the last six months.
- Proof of assets aside from income (i.e., real estate equity, stocks/bonds, etc).
Even though you and your parents have each other, it does not hurt to get additional support during this very important legal process. So please, turn to a competent lawyer from our Lyndhurst family & individual immigration law firm, the Law Offices of Salvatore A. Falletta. We would love to help make your dream of living together in the U.S. come true.
