Family Immigration to the United States refers to the class of Immigrant and nonimmigrant visas granted to non-US citizens and non-US resident aliens who have family or familial relationships with persons who have US Citizenship or hold US permanent resident status. 

Those relationships involve those regarding sons, daughters, spouses, fiancé ( e), parents, brothers or sisters of US Citizens or permanent residents. 

If you are an alien or citizen of another country other than the US but have one of the relationships enumerated above with someone who is a US Citizen or permanent resident, you will be allowed to immigrate to the US after you are able to prove to US Immigration authorities that such a relationship does indeed exist.  This is usually done through filing a Form I 130 (Petition for Alien Relative), along with other forms and documentation, with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

The relationships enumerated above are not created equal, so to speak: sons and daughters of US Citizens who are over age 21 and married are at a “disadvantage” at any time their immigration process commences, compared to those under-21 and ummarried; parents of US Citizens can immigrate to the US based on the status of their children, while parents of US permanent residents cannot, etc. 

In addition, while spouses of US Citizens abroad get to come to the US on an Immigrant visa after approval of the Form I 130 filed on their behalf, a fiancée of a US citizen who arrives the US after approval of the Form I 129F gets here on a nonimmigrant visa. That also has its “disadvantages” and added complications. 

Contact our law firm to assist you in effectively navigating the underrated labyrinths that often constitute the US Family Immigration process.  

Our law firm has successfully handled Family-based Immigration cases for many clients (see our Success Stories)