Can I Sponsor My Family If I Am A Permanent Resident?
As a permanent resident, a person can sponsor their spouse, a child under the age of 21, a child over the age of 21 who is also unmarried, but those are the only categories of persons that can be sponsored on a family petition. A person must become a U.S. citizen if they wish to sponsor their parents or brothers and sisters.
If you are a United States citizen and wish to bring your immediate relatives to the United States, you may petition to bring them in as permanent residents. The term immediate relative includes your spouse, your parents and any children that you may have under the age of 21 as long as that child is not married. One of the best things about being allowed to bring your immediate relatives into the United States with a Green Card is that they do not have to wait for a visa to become available. The United States puts a cap on visa numbers and therefore, many applications get denied every year, making it difficult for some people to come to the United States legally.
If your relatives wish to acquire a Green Card while they are inside of the United States with you as their sponsor, you will need to fill out the I-130 form, or the Petition for Alien Relative. After that, your relatives will receive a Notice of Action that acknowledges the I-130 form. Then, they will have to fill out the I-485 application that includes a copy of the I-130 form.
The immigration process requires a lot of documents and forms to be completed and therefore, it is helpful for you to have an experienced immigration attorney to assist you through this process.
If you are in need of experienced legal counsel for matters of immigration, please contact the Law Offices of Salvatore A. Falletta, LLC.