Family Immigration Legal Services

Please select the relationship that best describes your situation:

Family Immigration Legal Services

 

Most immigrants who enter the United States enter based upon their family relationship with a U.S. citizen or U.S. lawful permanent resident.  However, not every family relationship qualifies, and each relationship offers different levels of immigration benefits.

Immediate Relatives

Immediate relatives of U.S. Citizens are afforded the most immigration advantages, including the ability to enter the United States without regard to numerical limitations (see below).  The U.S. immigration service (formerly INS) consider the following to be “immediate relatives” of U.S. citizens:

• Spouse of U.S. Citizen
• Fiancee of U.S. Citizen
• Minor, Unmarried Child of U.S. Citizen
• Parent of U.S. Citizen Over 21 Years Old

Preference Category Family Members

Family members who do not fall into the Immediate Relatives category are assigned to one of four family preference categories.  Each preference category has a statutory limit on the number of immigrants that are allowed into the United States each year.  Due to this limitation, qualifying family members will often need to wait until their visa preference date is reached.  The visa preference date is updated monthly by the Department of State’s Visa Bulletin.

First Preference

• Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizen

Second Preference

• Spouse of U.S. Permanent Resident
• Child of U.S. Permanent Resident

Third Preference

• Married Child of U.S. Citizen

Fourth Preference

• Siblings of U.S. Citizen