If you live in the U.S. but your family is overseas, then you’ve probably found yourself wondering if your loved ones can join you here in America. This can be a challenging task with a lot of misconceptions surrounding it. It isn’t easy to get green cards for your family, even if you yourself are a permanent resident or citizen.
What to Know Before Starting the Process:
If you yourself are a citizen or a permanent resident, then you can try to sponsor a family member to come to the U.S. When you begin this process, you become a petitioner and your loved one becomes your beneficiary. However, only the following listed family members are eligible for sponsorship:
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21+ with citizenship –> your parents (immediate)
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18+ with citizenship –> your husband or wife (immediate)
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18+ with citizenship –> your unmarried children under 18 (immediate)
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Any age with citizenship –> your children 18+ or married (first or third preference)
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21+ with citizenship –> your siblings (fourth preference)
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Any age with permanent residence –> your unmarried children (second preference)
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Any age with permanent residence –> your husband or wife (second preference)
The following are not eligible for sponsorship from you under any circumstances:
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A grandparent
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A cousin
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An aunt or uncle
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An in-law
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Any other extended family member
Any of the above who are allowed into the U.S. after you sponsor them will also be allowed to bring with them their own kids, husband, or wife.
How Long does the Process Take for Immediate Family?
If the loved one you are sponsoring is an immediate family member, then a green card will be given as soon as the proper paperwork is processed. Keep in mind that this can take several months.
How Long does the Process Take for Preference Family?
Preference family members usually can’t even begin an application for at least a few years. There are a limited amount of green cards that can be given for preference family members in each country, meaning that if your loved one lives in a country in which many applications are being submitted, they will have the longest wait times. The average wait times are as follow:
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1st preference adult unmarried children of citizens: 8 years
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2nd preference spouses and children of permanent residents: 2 years, 7 years for children 21+
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3rd preference married children of citizens: 12 years
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4th preference siblings of citizens: 13 years
Speeding Up the Process:
Become a citizen. Applying to become a citizen when you meet the eligibility requirements will make this process quicker than if you remain a resident. This puts your loved ones in a higher priority group.
Have more than just yourself sponsoring one person. If something happens to you that results in your death or divorce, then your beneficiary’s immigration process will go right back to the beginning. It is beneficial to have many family members all sponsoring the same person in case something happens to go wrong.
