People who live in other countries may want to come to the United States to join their family members. The U.S. has a family immigration program that makes this possible for some individuals. The applicants for these visas must still go through the standard approval process, so it will take time to find out the outcome of the application.
The two primary factors that are considered in these cases are the status of the sponsor in the U.S. and their relationship to the person who wants to immigrate. The sponsor must be at least 21 years old and must be in this country lawfully as a citizen or a lawful permanent resident.
Citizen sponsor
People who are citizens of this country can sponsor a wider group of individuals than a person who’s a lawful permanent resident. These individuals can sponsor:
- Spouse
- Child
- Sibling
- Parent
Of those four relationships, the only one that has a limit for the number of visas approved each year is siblings. There’s no limit to the number of visas issued for citizens’ spouses, parents or children.
Lawful permanent resident sponsor
Lawful permanent residents, known to some as green card holders, can only sponsor their unmarried children and their spouse. The number of visas that are issued for these circumstances is limited each year.
Anyone who’s considering a petition for family immigration should ensure they understand exactly what they need to do. Having everything in order from the start of the application may help you to avoid delays. It may behoove you to work with someone who can stay abreast of the latest policies and laws because these change often.