Green Cards Through Relatives
More than 500,000 green cards sponsored by family members are issued each year to individuals seeking lawful permanent residency in the United States. However, this is not an easy process. If you or a loved one is seeking to obtain a green card through the sponsorship of a relative, the experienced immigration attorneys at Legalize Me can be of invaluable assistance and guidance during this complicated process.
Requirements For Obtaining a Green Card Through a Relative
A U.S. citizen may sponsor the following family members to seek legal permanent residency in the United States:
- Spouses
- Children
- Adult sons and daughters
- Parents
- Brothers and sisters
In order for the citizen family member to successfully apply for a green card, they must fall into one of the following categories:
- The individual seeking residency must be an immediate relative of the U.S. citizen, as listed above.
- The individual must be a family member of a U.S. citizen falling into a preference category, including unmarried children over the age of 21, married children of any age, or a sibling of a citizen over 21.
- The individual must be a family member of a sponsor who has a valid green card who is a spouse or an unmarried child of the sponsoring green card holder.
- The individual must be a member of a special category, including a battered spouse or child, a person who is born to a foreign diplomat in the Unites States, or the widower of a U.S. citizen.
In addition, the U.S. citizen must also meet the following criteria in order to legally sponsor a green card for a relative:
- The sponsor must be able to provide proper documentation evidencing citizenship status.
- The sponsor must have a qualifying family relationship, as discussed above.
- The sponsor must be willing to sponsor the relative by completing the I-130 (“Petition for Alien Relative” form).
- The sponsor must be able to prove that they can support the sponsored family member at 125 percent above the mandated poverty line.
Contact Legalize Me For Successfully Getting a Green Card Through Marriage
Legalize Me is dedicated to offering the most experienced immigration support for all of our clients. For more information about obtaining a green card through a family member or to schedule a free consultation with our immigration attorney Michael S. Carrillo to discuss your immigration needs, call us toll free at 800-554-8778.
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