U.S. Citizens and Permanent Resident (Green Card holders) can sponsor for Permanent Residency certain family members, specifically:

• Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens (parents, unmarried children less than 21, and spouses); and
• Other Relatives:
  • Unmarried sons & daughters of citizens (children over 21 years and older);
    • Spouses and children of Permanent Residents
    • Unmarried sons and daughters of Citizens
  • Married sons and daughters of Citizens
  • Brothers and sisters of Citizens

Sponsorship of family members involves two steps:

• A sponsor must file a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with the Immigration and Naturalization Service ("INS")
• Upon approval of the petition, the foreign relative must either:
  • Obtain an immigrant visa in order to come to the U.S.; or
• Apply for Permanent Residence if already in this country by filing Adjustment of Status.

Whether the foreign relative will be immediately eligible to receive an immigrant visa or to apply for Adjustment of Status, depends upon the relationship of the sponsor to the foreign relative. If the foreing relative is an Immediate Relative, the relative is immediately eligible to apply for an Immigrant Visa or for Adjustment of Status upon the approval of the I-130 petition. Other foreign relatives receive a priority date (the date the petition was filed) and must wait for the State Department to process petitions with their date before they are eligible to apply for Permanent Residence.

If you are not a client of Hammond & Associates and are interested in our services, please contact us directly with your request via e-mail at contact@hammondlawfirm.com. Hammond & Associates will then contact you to discuss your case.