The Green Card, permanent residence card granted by the United States government to legal immigrants residing in the country, has multiple benefits, besides the primary ones – buying property, government jobs, real estate and stock investment, marriage, armed forces, etc. It also allows holders of said card to apply for residency for direct family members through family sponsorship, whether they are parents, children, siblings or spouses.
It is easy, strict, but convenient
To be a sponsor, the petitioner must first be a US citizen or lawful permanent resident of the US. He must be able to provide documentation that proves his status. A lawful permanent resident, that is, a Green Card holder, is defined as an alien who has been granted the privilege of living and working permanently in the US. It is important for Green Card holders to be aware that, under certain circumstances, it may be rescinded, revoked or cancelled. It is also important that they are fully aware of the requirements to maintain their legal stay in the US.
The applicant must have a family relationship with the eligible visa applicant. Among them: being husband or wife, single child under the age of 21, single child over 21 years of age, married child of any age, brother or sister, if the sponsor is at least 21 years old, mother or father, if the sponsor is at least 21 years old. If the petitioner is a lawful permanent resident, he may file a petition to benefit the following relatives.
What is next?
Once the petitioner and the family-based visa beneficiary meet the requirements, the petitioner can present themselves as their family member’s “sponsor” for lawful permanent residence in the U.S. by filing the I-130, Petition Form for Foreign Relatives. In this type of petition, the applicant must present proof of family relationship along with United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) fees, in addition to the G-28 if the applicant is being represented by an attorney. After completing this part of the petition, the applicant must proceed with processing the application. The second step is called “Status Adjustment”. If the beneficiary is outside the US, he/she must do “consular processing” to obtain the Green Card.
As part of the Adjustment of Status process, the applicant must be able to demonstrate that they are able to support their family, relatives and other sponsored family members by providing 125% above the poverty line. If the applicant cannot do this, he or she can look for a “joint sponsor” who is a friend or relative of you or the beneficiary. Another alternative is that support can be proven through the sponsor’s “assets”.
It is your dream
One way to immigrate to the United States is to have your visa sponsored by one of your close relatives. This process falls under the category of family-based immigration and is one of the ways the US Congress has emphasized the importance of family unification in the US Immigration Act. There are a number of important criteria, which must be met for a person to meet the requirements so that their family relationship qualifies them for family-based immigration.
