Family Petition Green Card

A family petition green card in the U.S. is for the family members of U.S. citizens or green card holders. The citizen or green card holder is called the “sponsor.” The family member is “sponsored person.” Which family petition process you need depends on whether the sponsor is a green card holder or a citizen. The wait list also depends on that factor. Generally, the process is easier and the wait list is shorter when the sponsor is a U.S. citizen. This article is meant to give you some tips for filing family-based petitions in the U.S. If you have any questions, please let us know.

One of the first steps to filing a family petition is an intense, worldwide background check. The immigration officials don’t actually do the background check.

The sponsored person is responsible for requesting a report from each and every country they have lived in since the age of 16. The report should reflect the sponsored person’s criminal history (or lack thereof). If this information is not requested from every country of residence, and for every year, since the age of 16, then there will be a “gap” in the application. Gaps in the application slow down the processing of the application.

Our office can ensure that the petition is as airtight as possible. We can do the background check for you.  Remember, the sponsor and sponsored person must be “qualified.” Our office can determine whether the sponsor and sponsored person are qualified, and we can advise on ways to improve his or her qualification if there are any issues.

These are just a few of the many reasons it is important to have an immigration attorney by your side and ready to counsel you every step of the way.

Never wonder if you are taking the right steps again! Contact an immigration attorney today.