Visa Information
As a Green Card holder (permanent resident) or US citizen, you may petition for certain family members to immigrate to the United States as permanent residents.
Who can you file for?
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Spouse (husband or wife)
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Unmarried children under 21
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Unmarried son or daughter of any age
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Parents of U.S. citizens (The petitioning citizen must be 21 or older.)
Application Process
To obtain a green card for your family member, you must:
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File Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative
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Provide proof of your status to demonstrate that you are a permanent resident.
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Submit evidence of the qualifying relationship such as a birth certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc. See the form instructions for specific documents required.
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Submit proof of any legal name change for you or your family member (the beneficiary).
If you or a member of your family is in the U.S. military special conditions may apply to your situation.
Preference Categories
Your family member's preference category will determine how long they will have to wait for an immigrant visa number.
When petitioning for your relative, the following preference categories apply:
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First preference: Unmarried, adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens. (Adult means 21 or older)
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Second Preference (2A): Spouses of green card holders, unmarried children (under 21) of permanent residents
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Second Preference (2B): Unmarried adult sons and daughters of permanent residents
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Third Preference: Married sons and daughters (any age) of U.S. citizens
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Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens
Fiancé Visa (I-129F) K-1
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This visa is for your fiancé who is now in another country.
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You must be able to prove that you have met your fiancé within 2 years of filing by,
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Evidence of in-person meetings with photos
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Evidence that you intend to marry your fiancé within 90 days of their admission to the US as a K-1 nonimmigrant.
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Required documents:
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Proof of American citizenship from petitioner (Birth Certificate or Naturalization Certificate)
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Passports
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Proof of financial support such as Pay Stubs and Tax Records (optional but important)
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Proof of legal termination of previous marriages
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