Family Based Visas

Assisting a family member, whether it is a spouse, fiancé, child, brother, parent or sister become a permanent resident of the United States can be a daunting task.  We can assist you and your loved ones navigate the complicated visa process.  There are many nuances in each type of family-based visa.  It is important that you work with someone familiar with the current visa requirements as they change frequently.

People who are close relatives of U.S. citizens and legally admitted permanent resident aliens are limited to a total of 480,000 visas per year. Immediate relatives are included in this number, as are preference relatives, but there is no limit on the number of visas which may be issued to immediate relatives. Preference relatives receive all of the visas not used by immediate relatives, but in no case less than 226,000 visas per year. Family-based preference categories subject to the numerical limit are divided into four preference categories:

• First preference: unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens and their children;
• Second preference: spouses, children, and unmarried sons and daughters of legal permanent resident aliens;
• Third preference: married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, their spouses and their children;
• Fourth preference: the brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens, their spouses and their children, provided the U.S. citizen is twenty-one years of age or older.

This is merely a brief overview of the family based visa area.  We recommend you contact us in order to discuss the specifics of your situation and whether or not you may qualify for some type of family based visa.

For more information please contact us.