Lake Station Family Immigration Lawyer

Lake Station Family Immigration Lawyer

People come to America from all parts of the world, and if they still have family living back in their home country, it is a common desire to want to bring them to this country to build a new life. However, non-U.S. citizens cannot legally remain in this country without an immigrant visa, or Green Card, and family members in the U.S. will need to go through the family immigration visa process if they want them to stay. The U.S. has rules about who may stay in the country long-term, which means the process to gain the ability to do is quite involved and difficult. Instead of trying to navigate this process alone, work with the family immigration attorneys at Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC to get your family immigration visa granted. Both U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible to use this program, but understanding what the government requires, and when, is not necessarily easy. Our Lake Station family immigration attorneys will take the guesswork out of the family visa process and ensure your rights are protected.

Which Family Members Qualify?

Only those closely related to the U.S. sponsor can take advantage of the family immigration visa program – namely, spouses, minor children, parents, and siblings, though adult children and siblings are also eligible, but are treated somewhat differently. Consequently, it is first necessary to look at how the U.S. sponsor and foreign family member are related, and in addition, whether the U.S. sponsor is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Family immigrant visa petitions are not handled in the same way for citizens and permanent residents, including determining who is eligible to enter the U.S. under this program and how long the visa process will take. Any family member of a permanent resident is processed according to a preference system and must contend with a limited number of visas available each year. Thus, they will face a waiting period, though this can be shortened if the U.S. sponsor becomes a U.S. citizen while the application is still open. Immediate family members of U.S. citizens face no such wait because the number of visas available to them is unlimited.  

Processing

Officially starting the family visa immigration process requires the U.S. sponsor to submit a Petition for Alien relative to the Department of Homeland Security, who will then look to see if the sponsor met the minimum requirements of being 21 years old, financially capable of supporting the family member, and able to prove there is a blood relationship. Later in the process, once the petition is approved and a visa number opens, the applicant will be asked to provide documents that show his/her identity, background, financial resources and accounts, and health history.

Medical Testing

Near the end of the family visa process, the applicant will be asked to submit to a medical exam for the purpose of identifying the presence of certain diseases and illnesses the U.S. government does not want to enter the country. A basic physical exam, along with blood tests and x-rays, is the standard protocol, and if passed, the applicant will advance to the final step.

Interview

The last piece of this process involves attending an interview with a local U.S. consulate, set by government officials, where the applicant will be asked questions designed to see if he/she meets the rules of admittance. This interview is mandatory, and may also be attended by the U.S. sponsor, attorneys, and other third-party representatives.

Contact a Family Immigration Attorney

The rules related to immigration are subject to a lot of caveats and exceptions. If you have questions about bringing your family member into this country, speak with the attorneys at Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC. Navigating this process alone is almost impossible, so contact the Lake Station family immigration firm for a consultation.