Acquiring a Spouse or Family Green Card in Surrey, BC
Spouse Green Card and Family Green Card Applications in Surrey, BC
Pilkington Immigration – Surrey helps families reunite across borders by guiding them through the process of acquiring spouse and family green cards in Surrey, BC.
Family green card applications to the United States are divided into five categories, starting with immediate relatives such as spouses of U.S. citizens, children who are unmarried, under 21, and under the care of U.S. citizens, and parents of U.S. citizens. Green card processing times for applications in this immediate relative category are the fastest, generally within one year.
Other family green card categories include:
• First preference: Unmarried adult (21 or older) sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
• Second preference A: Spouses of green card holders and unmarried children of permanent residents
• Second preference B: Unmarried adult sons and daughters of permanent residents
• Third preference: Married sons and daughters of any age of U.S. citizens
• Fourth preference: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens
Although each of these other categories are possible to facilitate sponsorship for green cards to the U.S., the processing time is longer in each successive category and can take several years in some instances.
Family Green Card Process
Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, is the first step when filing a family-based green card application. This petition must be filed into the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by a U.S. citizen or green card holder and must be accompanied by the required documentation to show eligibility and a qualifying family relationship.
Once USCIS receives the petition, the petitioner will be notified by a receipt in the mail. If the petition is approved, the sponsored foreign national will then need to wait until a green card is available for their category to schedule an appointment with the U.S. consulate in their country.
There is an exception to this for applicants who are immediate relatives of U.S. citizens. As mentioned previously, they do not need to wait for a visa number as there is always an immigrant visa available for them the moment the I-130 filed on their behalf is approved.
The sponsoring family member can also expedite the process by filing both the I-130 and the I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, at the same time, as long as the beneficiary is in the U.S. Applicants who do this usually get their green cards within a year. Immediate relatives outside the U.S. will need to wait for the approval of their I-130 before they can apply for a green card at the U.S. consulate in their country.
Eligibility Criteria for Sponsoring
Before an individual can sponsor a family-based green card, they must meet the following requirements:
• They must be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident and provide relevant documentation such as birth or naturalization certificate or green card
• They must demonstrate that they have the financial ability to support the sponsored family member and all other dependent members of their household, which requires showing proof of an annual income of at least 125% above the poverty guideline; if they are unable to meet these criteria they can have a co-sponsor or show assets of the petitioner or beneficiary in lieu of income
• They must prove that they have a qualifying family relationship with the foreign national green card beneficiary such as being a spouse, child (biological or adopted), or sibling; for a spouse this goes beyond a marriage certificate and includes showing proof that the relationship is genuine and bona fide, which can include pictures, affidavits, communication, and joint accounts
• They must maintain their residence in the U.S. at the time of the visa interview
Client Reviews
The firm was extremely helpful in all aspects. Definitely appreciated having experts guiding me and handling the application with all of the important details to get a successful result. Thanks again!
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The immigration consultants at Pilkington Immigration – Surrey are standing by to assist you with the process of how to get Canadian citizenship. We can also advise you on the process for sponsoring family members through spousal, child, or parent sponsorship. Contact us today to request a free five-minute consultation!
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