Permanent Residence
U.S. citizens and permanent residents have the option of filing a petition to the Immigration Service of the United States in behalf of family members who live abroad and want to come to live in the United States.
For a foreign relative to become a lawful permanent resident of the United States, he/she must meet the following requirements:
- The foreign national seeking residence must have a close relative who is a U.S. citizen or legal resident in the United States. He/she needs to be able to prove the relationship between him/her, and the person must be a citizen of the United States or legal resident.
- A U.S. citizen can apply for residence on behalf of his/her spouse, married or unmarried children of any age, parents, and siblings. Spouses, unmarried children under 21 years of age, and parents are considered immediate relatives and are eligible for an expedited process when applying for U.S. residence. Other family members, children over the age of 21, married children of any age, and siblings fall into different preference categories, and the process will take longer. This depends on the preference category that the family member falls under. Siblings fall in the fourth preference category and the expected waiting time is at around 10 years.
- A legal resident of the United States can apply for residence on behalf his/her spouse and children of any age. These family members fall into the second preference category and standard waiting times for spouses or children under 21 years of age is four years. Unmarried children over the age of 21 can expect to wait around nine years.
Contact us to begin the application as soon as possible. The process of immigration into the United States is complex and it can take many years before your loved ones can become lawful residents of the United States.
At Gomez & Uzcategui, we understand how important it is for you to be reunited with your loved ones in a timely and efficient honor. We take great pride in knowing that we have already helped many families achieve this dream.
