Naperville Family Based Immigration Attorneys

Experienced Naperville Family-Based Immigration Lawyers

Migrating to the United States is notoriously difficult, and has been a source of contention for both U.S. citizens and immigrants alike. A person may find that they can spend years fulfilling eligibility requirements, filing out paperwork, and re-filling out applications, only to be denied lawful permanent residence status. It can be frustrating and disheartening all at once—especially for individuals who undergo the process in order to be reunited with a loved one.

Many immigrants come to the U.S. alone, with the hopes of one day bringing their families here. Unfortunately, once they are here, these individuals find it difficult to get the rest of their family members to follow—and not because their family members do not want to, but simply because the immigration process makes it next to impossible for them to.

Fortunately, under the provisions of United State immigration law – and more specifically, under the provisions set forth in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) – U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) may petition for green cards for their family members. This is referred to as “family-based immigration.” If you are an American citizen or a LPR, and if you would like to petition for one or more family members to receive green card status in the U.S., contact the Naperville family-based immigration attorneys at Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC to learn more about the family-based immigration process.

Who is Eligible for Family-Based Immigration to the U.S.?

According to the American Immigration Center, approximately six million visa applications are received and processed each year, while another three to five million pending at the close of each year. The Immigration and Naturalization Act (INA), the body of law governing current immigration policy, provides for a worldwide limit of 675,000 permanent immigrants per year. If they did not make exceptions for family members, many immigrants may never be reunited with their family members again.

Fortunately, the INA makes allowances for family members of U.S. citizens and LPRs. For instance, an individual may qualify for a green card through a family member if they fall into one of three categories:

• They are an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen;
• They are a preference relative of a U.S. citizen or permanent residence; or
• They are accompanying someone in a preference category.

The U.S. government does not regulate how many green cards it grants to immediate family members of U.S. citizens, and gives number one priority to these following individuals:  

• Spouses, including recent widows and widowers;
• Children of U.S. citizens who are under the age of 21;
• Parents of U.S. citizens if the citizen is over the age of 21;
• Stepchildren and stepparents, if the marriage that created the relationship took place before the child turned 18; and
• Adopted parents/children, if the adoption took place before the child was 16.

Second priority goes to family members from the family preference categories. There are four sub-categories, and they are as follows:

• Family First Preference (F1): Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, and their minor children – 23,400 visas available;
• Family Second Preference (F2): Spouses, minor children, and unmarried sons and daughters (aged 21 or older) of LPRs – 114,200 visas available, though 77 percent are allocated towards spouses and children, while the remainder are reserved for unmarried sons and daughters;
• Family Third Preference (F3): Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, and their spouses and minor children – 23,400 visas available; and
• Family Fourth Preference (F4): Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens (who are at least 21 years of age), and their spouses and minor children – 65,000 visas available.

Finally, their and last priority goes to individuals accompanying individuals from a family preference category, such as a spouse, a minor child, or a parent.

A Naperville Family-Based Immigration Lawyer Can Help

At Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, our Naperville family-based immigration lawyers have been reuniting families for over 40 years. Though the U.S. immigration process is notoriously challenging, with an immigration attorney on your side, you can reduce the amount of time it takes to file and process an application, and eliminate the headache. At Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, our Naperville immigration attorneys dedicate themselves to reuniting families from across the globe in as quick and as smooth manner as possible. To speak with a legal representative regarding your Naperville family-based immigration needs, contact the law offices of Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC at 312-332-2550 today.