How to become a U.S. Citizen
Can I legally bring my family to the United States?
The laws that regulate permanent legal immigration status in the United States were written to uphold four main objectives:
- family unification,
- admitting immigrants for employment purposes,
- addressing humanitarian needs,
- maintaining diversity of immigrants country of origin.
Family Unification
US Citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPR – immigrants who have obtained a green card) are allowed to legally bring or certain family members to the United States.
The US Citizen or LPR must sponsor the family member and offer proof of income or assets to support the relative(s) when they come to the United States.
Sponsored by U.S. Citizen
A petition must be filed by the U.S. citizen, who is at least 21 years or older for the following relatives:
- Husband, wife, partner
- Children, married or unmarried
- Parents
- Brothers or sisters
Sponsored by Legal Permanent Resident
A legal permanent resident of the United States may also file a petition for the following relatives:
- Husband, wife, partner
- Unmarried child(ren), regardless of age
There are no numerical limits to the visas available for spouses, minor children and parents of adult U.S. citizens. However, under the “Family-Preference System,” there are numerical limits for how many family members are sponsored by legal permanent residents.
Current immigration law does not allow for, U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents to directly obtain family-based visas for distant relatives. They cannot apply for a Visa for a cousin, uncle, grandparent or other extended family members.
There is an extensive screening process for family-based visas which adds an additional hurdle —while seeking to ensure that the sponsored family members are not a financial burden or a criminal or security risk
Filing a relative petition can be difficult to obtain without hiring an attorney if you are not familiar with the government’s procedures and criteria. Studies have found those in immigration court with a lawyer are much more likely to win their case than those without legal representation.
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