Family Immigration

The first step in petitioning for a parent is to file a “Petition for Alien Relative” on Form I-130. It is necessary to prove that you are a U.S. citizen, and you really are the son or daughter of your parent, and that therefore your parent is potentially eligible for a green card.

If your foreign-born parent is living abroad, he or she will have to wait until the I-130 is approved before starting the green card application process.

If your parent is in the U.S., he or she is eligible to file an I-485, Petition to Adjust Status, at the same time as the I-130 application. This will lead to immediate processing of the green card, without the need to wait for approval of the I-130.

We believe everyone should be able to share their life with their loved one, we are here to help you in the process of bringing your foreign fiancé(e) to the United States.

In order to obtain the K-1 nonimmigrant visa, better known as a fiancé(e) visa you and your fiancé(e) need to get married during the 90 days that your fiancé is allowed to enter the United States, your intentions must be to share and establish a life together and not for the only purpose of immigration and resident benefit in order for this process to legally work.

You may be eligible to bring your fiancé(e) to the United States on a fiancé(e) visa if you meet the following requirements:

• You are a U.S. citizen.
• You and your fiancé(e) intend to marry one another within 90 days of your fiancé(e)’s admission to the United States on a K-1 nonimmigrant visa.
• You and your fiancé(e) are both legally free to marry (this means you both are legally able to marry in the United States and previous marriages have been legally terminated by divorce, death, or annulment).
• You and your fiancé(e) met each other in person at least once within the 2-year period before you file your petition.

You may request a waiver of this in-person meeting requirement if you can show that meeting in person would:

• Violate strict and long-established customs of your fiancé(e)’s foreign culture or social practice; or
• Result in extreme hardship to you, the U.S. citizen petitioner.

If you are a U.S. citizen you can file a petition for your foreign-born spouse and, under certain situations, the children of your spouse.
To petition for your spouse’s children, they must be unmarried, under 21 years old and have been under the age of 18 at the time of your marriage to your spouse. You must file a separate Form I-130 for each child.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you may petition for children (unmarried and under 21), Unmarried sons and daughters (21 or over) – Your son or daughter’s child(ren) may be included on this petition. Married sons and daughters (any age) – Your son or daughter’s spouse and/or child(ren) may be included on this petition. If you are a green card holder, you may petition for children (unmarried and under 21) – Your child’s child(ren) may be included on this petition. Unmarried sons and daughters (21 or over) – Your son or daughter’s child(ren) may be included on this petition.

To petition to bring your sibling (brother or sister) to live in the United State as a Green Card holder, you must be a U.S, citizen and at least 21 years of age. Permanent resident may not petition to bring siblings to live permanently in the United States.