I am a U.S. citizen
How do I help my relative become a U.S. permanent resident?
As a citizen of the United States, you may help a relative become a lawful permanent resident of the United States by obtaining what is often referred to as a “Green Card.” To do so, you need to sponsor
your relative and be able to prove that you have enough income or assets to support your relative(s) when they come to the United States. You begin the process by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien
Relative. This form establishes the family relationship that exists between you and your relative. Filing instructions and forms are available on our Web site at www.uscis.gov. Sometimes the I-130 can be filed together with an application for permanent residence (Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status). This is discussed below. Which relatives may I petition for?
A U.S. citizen can file a petition for the following relatives:
• Husband or wife;
• Children, married or unmarried.
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A U.S. citizen who is at least 21 years or older may also petition for
the following relatives:
• Parents;
• Brothers or sisters.
When you submit your petition, you are required to provide evidence to prove your relationship to the person for whom you are filing. What does the petition do for my relative? Filing a Form I-130 and proving a qualifying relationship gives your relative a place in line with others waiting to immigrate from the same country or region based on the same type of relationship. When your relative reaches the front of the line, he or she may be eligible to immigrate after passing the required background checks
and meeting requirements for admission. For example: You file a petition for your unmarried son over 21 years of age. If we approve it, your petition gives him a place in line with people from the same country category who are also unmarried sons or daughters over the age of 21 of U.S. citizens.
Your relative’s place in line will be based on the date you file your petition. So there is an advantage to filing as soon as possible. There is no waiting period for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, which
include a U.S. citizen’s spouse, parent, or unmarried child under 21 years of age.
What about my relative’s family?
In most cases, when your relative reaches the front of the line, your relative’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age can join him or her by also applying for an immigrant visa. (If the family member is already in the United States, he or she may be able to file a Form I-485 application to adjust status based on the relative’s approved visa petition.)
For example: You file a petition for your married daughter. You cannot directly petition for her husband and children. However, when your daughter’s place in line allows her to apply for a Green Card, her husband and children can apply for immigrant visas at the same time with your daughter.
As a U.S. citizen, you must file a separate petition for each one of your direct relatives, including your own children.
For example: To sponsor your mother and father, file a separate petition for each. If they have other children—your brothers
and sisters—file a separate petition for each of them. Visas are immediately available for mothers and fathers of U.S. citizens, but visas are not immediately available for brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens; therefore, they will have to wait for visa availability.
For example: You marry someone with a child. The child will usually qualify as your stepchild if he or she was unmarried and under 18 years of age at the time of your marriage. In this example, you are required to file two petitions: one petition for your wife and another for the child.
