Bringing Family Members Together In The U.S.
If you are a U.S. citizen or resident with family living in another country, you should consider applying for a family-based visa to bring them here to live with you. Once you've completed this process, you can look forward to spending the holidays with your close family in the near future instead of staying home missing them as in years past. Of course, starting the family immigration process be intimidating when you don't know which visa to apply for or which relatives you can bring to the U.S. That's why you should hire Kamal Firm, PLLC, to have a knowledgeable family immigration by your side. If you have questions about family-based visas, call our Houston, TX, law firm for an initial consultation.
Do You Qualify For An Immediate Relative Visa?
As you consider bringing your family members to the United States, make sure you know the qualifications you and your relatives must meet for the most popular family-based visas. This depends on the type of visa you plan to pursue.
One option is the Immediate Relative visa. To qualify, you must be a U.S. citizen who is at least 21 old. If you meet these criteria, the next step is determining which family members can immigrate through this visa. As the name of the visa suggests, only relatives can come to the U.S. on this visa, including your:
Spouse
Parents
Adopted Childrens
Unmarried children who are under 21
Keep in mind that this type of family visa is the preferred option for those who qualify as the government doesn't limit the number issued each year. As long as you and your relative are eligible to petition for this visa, it will be issued quickly, without the long waiting periods associated with other types of visas. Additionally, you can request this visa for a family member living in another country or one already here on a visa, as their status will be adjusted to make them permanent residents once approved. If you want to bring close family members to this country, contact our family immigration lawyer for help in initiating the process. Our skilled lawyer will answer your questions and ensure you're prepared for every step.
Is A Family Preference Visa Right For You?
Another family-based immigration option is the Family Preference visa, which is available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents., the relatives you can sponsor with this visa vary depending on your immigration status. If you're a U.S. citizen, you can use this to bring your adult child, sister, or brother to this country. If you are a permanent resident, you can bring your spouse and unmarried sons and daughters here through this visa. In particular, the preference categories are as follows:
F1
First Preference (F1)
Adult (21 years or older) children of U.S. citizens who are unmarried.
F3
Third Preference (F3)
U.S. citizen's married sons and daughters, their spouses, and minor children.
F2
Second Preference (F2)
Legal permanent resident's spouse, unmarried sons and daughters, and their children.
F4
Fourth Preference (F4)
U.S. citizen's brothers and sisters, their spouses, and minor children.
There are annual limits on the number of Family Preference visas the government issues, so you should prepare for long waiting periods for these visas. This is especially true for relatives who don’t fit into the first couple of preference categories. However. Every family immigration case is different. So you should work with an experienced lawyer from Kamal Law Firm PLLC for help choosing the right visa and getting answers to your questions.
Can You Bring Your Fiancé To The U.s.?
If you're a U.S. citizen who is engaged, you don't have to wait your wedding to bring your spouse to the U.S via the Immediate Relative visa. Instead, you can use the K-1 visa to bring your fiancé to the U.S. while you await your wedding day. Also known as the fiancé visa, the K-1 visa will permit your fiancé to come to the U.S. to live with you as long as you get married within 90 days of their arrival. After the wedding, you can petition to adjust their status so they can become a permanent resident and continue living you.
Like other immigration processes, the K-1 visa has strict guidelines. For example, if you don't get married within 90 days, your fiancé must return to their home country immediately. In addition, they cannot work here until they adjust their immigrant status after the wedding, so you're expected to be financially responsible for them until then. If you have questions about whether you and your fiancé qualify for this visa, contact our Houston law firm for answers.
Ready to meet a compassionate immigration lawyer in Houston, TX?
If you're interested in bringing one or more relatives to the U.S., we encourage you to contact us for legal advice. Our attorney, Farah Kamal, is not only knowledgeable about immigration law but also sensitive to the struggles of immigrants who come to the U.S. After all, she and her parents are immigrants, so you can expect compassion from a legal professional who understands your journey.
Regardless of the family-based visa you're interested in learning about, we're eager to provide the information you need before starting the application process. You deserve guidance during every legal step, the paperwork and interviews to possible waiting periods and roadblocks along the way. If you’re ready to start helping your loved ones move to the U.S., contact Kamal Law Firm, PLLC, at 713-524-4529 to speak to a family immigration lawyer in Houston, TX.