Family Immigration To The United States

Each year, White & Associates assists many individuals in reuniting with their relatives in the United States through family–sponsored immigration. Family–sponsored immigration allows for U.S. citizens and permanent residents to sponsor their relatives to immigrate to the United States. There are 480,000 visas available annually.

What are the criteria for eligibility?

To sponsor a family member, the U.S. citizen or permanent resident must meet the following criteria:

• Be a citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States and be able to provide documentation proving this status.
• Prove that she/he can support your relative at 125% above the mandated poverty line.
• (For citizens only) Provide proof of the relationships:
  • Husband or wife;
  • Unmarried child under 21 years old;
  • Unmarried son or daughter over 21;
  • Married son or daughter of any age;
  • Brother or sister, if she/he is at least 21 years old;
  • Parent, if he/she is at least 21 years old
• (For permanent residents only) Provide proof of the relationships:
  • Husband or wife;
  • Unmarried son or daughter of any age

What are the preference categories?

People who want to become immigrants are classified into categories based on a preference system. The preference system does not apply to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (parents, spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21); this means that these relatives may receive an immigrant visa as soon as the visa petition filed for them is approved by the USCIS. The relatives in the remaining categories must wait for a visa number to become available according to the following preferences:

• First Preference: Unmarried, adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens. Adult means 21 years of age or older.
• Second Preference: Spouses of lawful permanent residents, their unmarried children (under 21), and the unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents.
• Third Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
• Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens.

White & Associates is aware of the complexity of these laws as well as the urgency and importance of your visa application. We can help you navigate through the immigration process and enable your family to live together in the United States as soon as possible. Please contact us for more information.