Obtaining Lawful Permanent Residency Through Family
The U.S. immigration system is one the most complex in the world. Baton Rouge immigration lawyer Rusty Messer and his team are experienced in immigration through marriage and family members. Attorney Messer and his team will fully manage the preparation and submission of your immigration application through USCIS (formerly the INS), the National Visa Center (NVC), the Department of State (DOS) and other immigration agencies.
As an experienced immigration law firm, Big River Trial Attorneys has a proven record of success in immigration petitions based on marriage, parent/child relationships and brother/sister relationships. Here is a small sample of what the attorneys at the Louisiana firm of Big River Trial Attorneys can do for you:
- Provide you with an overview of the immigration process,
- Accurately complete all necessary immigration forms,
- Prepare documentation to support your immigration petition,
- Submit your immigration application to United States Citizenship and Immigration, Nation Visa Center, Department of State and other agencies, and
- Prepare you and represent you as your attorney at immigration interviews at USCIS and U.S. consulates abroad.
“Can I obtain a green card through a family member?”
You can apply for permanent residency (also known as a “green card”) through certain family members who have U.S. citizenship or who are permanent residents of the U.S. Permanent residency can lead to citizenship. But the length of time it will take for USCIS to process your application for permanent residency depends on your family’s immigration status and their relationship to you. Unlimited numbers of immigration visas are available immediately to so-called “immediate relatives” of U.S. citizens, while other family members may wait many more years to get a visa. Which “preference category” a family member falls under will determine how long the wait for the visa will be.
People who qualify as Immediate Relatives of U.S. citizens:
- Spouses of U.S. citizens
- Unmarried minor children under the age of 21, and
- Parents of U.S. citizens, if the U.S. citizen is over the age of 21
Preference categories for Non-Immediate Relatives:
- First: Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
- Second: (a) Spouses and children of U.S. citizens, (b) Unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents
- Third: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
- Fourth: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens
“How do I apply for a green card through a family member?”
Obtaining lawful permanent residency or green card status in the U.S. usually involves filing a combination of the following immigration forms with governmental agencies such as USCIS (former the INS), National Visa Center (NVC), and the Department of States (DOS):
- Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
- Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status
- Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization
- Form I-131, Application for Travel Document
- Form I-864, Affidavit of Support under Section 213A of the Act
- Form G-325A, Biographic Information
- Form I-751, Petition to Remove the Conditions of Residence
Although the immigration forms may look simple, there are numerous important details not included in the instructions that can affect your immigration case. As a leading Baton Rouge immigration law firm, the Law Offices of Big River Trial Attorneys has a thorough knowledge of the underlying complexities of U.S. immigration law. Attorney Messer and his team can provide you with the direction and legal counsel you need to successfully guide you and your family through the U.S. immigration process.
Call our Louisiana immigration law office today at (225) 963-9638 to schedule your consultation.