Talk To A Chicago Immigration Attorney
312-332-2550
Who Is Eligible for a Family-Based Green Card?
Looking for A Specific Post? Search Below
One of the goals of U.S. immigration law is to unite U.S. citizens and green card holders with their families who are outside the United States. However, not all family members qualify to be united under this law. Rather, the law sets strict guidelines for which specific family relations are eligible to obtain a green card. The law also has limitations on how many green cards can be given each year which affects some of these relatives. At Kriezelman Burton & Associates, we have experienced family immigration lawyers who assist clients in the Chicago area in obtaining green cards for their relatives.
Family immigration is divided into two broad categories, and these are the “immediate relatives” and “preference” categories.
Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens
US immigration law limits the number of green cards that can be given each year, but for certain relatives of US citizens, there is no limit as to how many green cards can be given to them in any given year. These are the relatives referred to as “immediate relatives.” The biggest advantage of being an immediate relative is one does not have to deal with long waiting times to obtain a green card as in all other categories.
To be classified as an immediate relative, one must be:
- Spouses of U.S. citizens, including recent widows and widowers and same-sex couples whose marriage is legal in the state or country where it took place
- Unmarried individuals under the age of 21 with at least one U.S. citizen parent
- Parents of U.S. citizens, if the U.S. citizen child is over the age of 21
- Stepparent/stepchildren, if the marriage creating the stepparent/stepchild relationship took place before the child’s 18th birthday, and
- Parents and children related through adoption if the adoption took place before the child reached the age of 16.
Preference Relatives of U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents
Relatives who do not fall under the immediate relative category may be classified and obtain green cards under the “preference” category. A major drawback in this category is there is a limited number of green cards available under this category; therefore, a relative who is eligible to obtain a visa under this category would have to wait for a long time, sometimes years, before they can be given a green card.
Exactly how long they wait depends on how they are related to the US citizen or green card holder sponsoring them. Here are the options available:
- Family first preference (F1). Unmarried individuals of any age who have at least one U.S. citizen parent
- Family second preference(2A): Spouses of green card holders and unmarried children who are under the age of 21; 2B: unmarried daughters and sons of green card holders who are over the age of 21
- Family third preference(F3). Married individuals of any age who have at least one U.S. citizen parent.
- Family fourth preference(F4). Brothers and Sisters of U.S. citizens if the citizen is over 21 years old.
If you are in the Chicago area and wish to have a qualifying family member come to join you or otherwise get a green card based on your relationship, contact us today to schedule an appointment to confidentially discuss your case. We are based in Chicago but serve clients in Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan.
Co Mówią Nasi Klienci
Ocena 5 gwiazdek | Na podstawie 200+ pozytywnych opinii na Google
My aunt was recently detained by ICE and sent to El Paso, Texas to the East Montana Detention Facility. This place is essentially a prison in the middle of the desert, and the majority of the detainees here get deported. My family and I interviewed a dozen immigration attorneys around the country to help my aunt, and we decided to hire Kevin Raica, an attorney with Kriezelman Burton and Associates.…
Our case was very difficult, and at times it felt like there was no way out. My wife was detained for a long period of time, and it was an extremely challenging experience for our family. Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC truly changed our situation. I would especially like to thank our attorney, Brittni Rivera, as well as Natalia. They were attentive, honest, and always ready to help. It was…
I cannot recommend Kevin Raica highly enough. He helped me successfully obtain my U.S. green card, and the entire process was smooth and stress-free because of his expertise and dedication. From start to finish, Kevin was professional, organized, and extremely knowledgeable about immigration law. He made sure every document was prepared correctly and took the time to explain each step clearly. Anytime I had questions, he responded promptly and made…
Great experience with this attorney office. They helped me with my I-751 waiver after divorce. Kevin was very professional, and supported me through the interview. Everything went smoothly and my case was approved. Highly recommend!
We contacted Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, based on a recommendation, when my wife was detained by ICE. Attorney Khiabett Osuna handled our case, and it turned out to be the right choice. From the very beginning, she proved herself to be a caring and competent professional, clearly explaining the process. You can tell she's truly invested in each case and achieving results for her clients. We've also heard of…
I would like to express my gratitude to Kriezelman Burton & Associates, LLC, and especially to attorney Khiabett Osuna, who handled my case. I contacted them based on a recommendation and have never regretted it. From the very beginning, she demonstrated high professionalism. I could tell she was genuinely committed to the outcome and was doing everything possible to protect her client.
Mr. Kriezelman, Mr. Burton and Ms. Erin Cobb, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for handling my case. Your knowledge and dedication to my case is truly appreciated. Thank you.
I highly recommend Brittni Rivera. We are very grateful to her and the entire team at Kriezelman Burton & Associates. Your dedication, responsiveness, and compassion made an enormous difference during an incredibly difficult time. Serving as the liaison between Brittni Rivera and our friend in ICE detention, I saw firsthand how tirelessly she worked guiding us through the process, answering every question, and never losing sight of the humanity at…
Andrea C. Ochoa is truly the best of the best. ❤️ Our family went through one of the most difficult and frightening experiences of our lives when Feruz was detained by ICE. We felt lost, scared, and unsure of what would happen next. From the very beginning, Andrea brought us not only her professionalism and deep legal knowledge, but also something even more important — hope. She guided us through…
Thank you Matthew for all your help with my case. Highly recommend
Schedule a consultation!:
Umów się na konsultację!
Libertyville
Reklama prawnika. Informacje te mają wyłącznie charakter ogólny. Przedstawionych informacji nie należy interpretować jako formalnej porady prawnej ani tworzenia relacji prawnik/klient. Wcześniejsze wyniki i referencje nie stanowią gwarancji, rękojmi ani przewidywania wyniku Twojej sprawy i nie powinny być w ten sposób interpretowane. Wyniki z przeszłości nie mogą zagwarantować przyszłych wyników. Jakikolwiek wynik w pojedynczej sprawie nie ma na celu stworzenia oczekiwań podobnych wyników w przyszłych sprawach, ponieważ każdy przypadek wiąże się z wieloma różnymi czynnikami, dlatego też wyniki będą się różnić w każdym przypadku. Podając dane kontaktowe, użytkownicy potwierdzają i wyrażają wyraźną zgodę na kontakt za pośrednictwem udostępnionych metod komunikacji, w tym wiadomości SMS. Mogą obowiązywać stawki za wiadomości i transmisję danych. Częstotliwość wiadomości może się różnić. Odpowiedz STOP, aby zrezygnować.
NUVEW | Prawo autorskie 2026 Wszelkie prawa zastrzeżone | Informacja o dostępności | polityka prywatności