Marshall Cohen, co-founder and attorney at Antonini & Cohen Immigration Law Group, explains the process of obtaining residency for parents of US citizens.
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If you are a US citizen and wish to bring a foreign-born parent to the US, the process to bring them here will depend on whether your parent is already in the US at the time you petition for them.
Parents Already in the United States
If your parent is already in the US, after having been lawfully admitted with a visa or allowed entry through a process known as parole, they are eligible to file for lawful permanent resident status (Green Card) with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This process is known as adjustment of status. They will file a visa petition signed by you (Form I-130), an application to adjust status signed by them (Form I-485), and several other forms along with supporting financial and biographical documentation. Upon approval, your parents will become lawful permanent residents and receive a Green Card as evidence of that status.
Parents Outside the United States
If your parents are outside the US, you will first file a visa petition with USCIS along with supporting documentation to prove the parent/child relationship. Upon USCIS approval of the visa petition, the next steps include filing with the National Visa Center of the U.S. State Department (NVC). This is known as consular processing and includes a medical examination, criminal background check, and interview at a designated US consulate in your parents’ home country. If the US consulate grants the visa after the interview, your parents will use their new immigrant visa to travel to the US and be admitted as lawful permanent residents. USCIS will then issue a Green Card as evidence of that status.
Contact Antonini & Cohen for Assistance in this Complex Process
This process is complex, with more details than we included in the video and article. Working with an experienced family immigration attorney will help you avoid unnecessary delays and reduce the risk of a denial.
Call to schedule a consultation with an Antonini & Cohen family immigration lawyer today at (470) 428-3200, or contact us via our online form.
At Antonini & Cohen, we know how.