The Houston Guide to Family Sponsorship
In case you want to come to the United States to be a permanent resident and you have a relative who is a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident, you can find your way to the U.S via family-sponsored immigration. The process involves some steps that both the applicant and their sponsor have to navigate together carefully. This Houston guide to family sponsorship by RunRex should help you know what you need and guide you through the process.
There are two groups in this visa category. These are the family preference and the immediate relative categories. The two are provided under the United States immigration law provisions.
The immediate relative immigrant visa category is based on a close relationship with your family sponsor who is a United States citizen. This type of visa has some categories, and they include:
• IR-1 which is a spouse of the U.S. Citizen.
• IR-2 for a child of the U.S citizen who is under the age of 21 and unmarried.
• IR-3 which is for an Orphan child adopted by the U.S citizen sponsor.
• IR-4 which is an orphan who is to be adopted by the United States citizen sponsor in the United States.
• IR-5 is for the parents of the United States citizen who has attained at least 21 years of age.
The family preference category is for relatives who are more distant. Unlike the immediate relative class, the family preference category has a numerical limitation per fiscal year depending on the category. The categories are listed below.
• Family First Preference (F1): This category comprises of unmarried daughters and sons of the United States Citizen. It, also, include their minor children too. The numerical limitation for this category is 23,400 per fiscal year.
• Family Second Preference (F2): This is a category for small children, spouses and sons, and daughters of the United States family sponsor who are unmarried but over 21 years of age. Usually, more than three-quarters of the visa available for this category are allocated for spouses and children and the remainder left for the unmarried daughters and sons. The fiscal year numerical limitation for this category is 114,200.
• Family Third Preference (F3): This is a category for married daughters and sons of United States citizens, their spouses, and minor kids. The fiscal year numerical limitation for this family preference visa category is 23,400.
• Family Fourth Preference (F4): This is a category for sisters and brothers of the United States sponsor and their minor children and spouses. The sponsor has to be at least 21 years of age. The numerical limitation for this category per fiscal years stands at 65,000.
Grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and in-laws do not qualify to be sponsors. The sponsor has to be a lawful permanent resident of the United States or a citizen. They, also, have to prove that they can support the person they are sponsoring. It means that they have to fill an Affidavit of Support.
The family-sponsored immigration process
The first step involves the relative residing in the United States submitting the petition to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services for their Alien Relative. Once the USCIS approves the filed request, it will be forwarded to the National Visa Center. The National Visa Center will then notify the immigrant relative when an immigrant visa number is available. Once the visa number is secured, they can either choose to complete the process with a consulate if residing outside the U.S or by adjusting their status if they are in the U.S.
Documents and supporting materials
When filing the petition, some crucial documents need to accompany it to prove the legitimacy of the relative being sponsored and the persons sponsoring them. The elements involved in the petition process include:
• You will need the Form I-130 which is the Petition for Alien Relative. This form is to be filed by the relative in the United States acting as the sponsor.
• If you are sponsoring either your husband or wife, then you will be required to file Form G-325A too. It is the Biographic Information form.
• You, also, need to attach proof that the sponsor is a lawful resident of the United States. If you are a citizen, add a copy of your identification. If you are a legally residing immigrant, attach copies of your immigration documents that show that you are in the country legally.
• You will, also, need to pay a fee for proof of the relationship between the lawfully residing family sponsor and the beneficiary and attach proof of payment.
The reception of the petition is usually confirmed by the United State Citizenship and Immigration Services sending the petitioner Form I-797 which is a Notice of Action form. The second notice will be sent once the petition is approved. It is, however, important to monitor the progress of your request to ensure that your petition and documents are not lost. Additionally, it is best to seek the services of an immigration attorney to ensure you file the petition correctly.