How Can I Bring My Parents to the United States?
Introduction
The desire to reunite with family members is a fundamental aspect of human nature. If you are a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder), you may wonder about the process of bringing your parents to the United States to live with you. While U.S. immigration laws offer pathways for family reunification, sponsoring parents involves a specific set of requirements and procedures. In this blog post, we will explore the steps you can take to bring your parents to the United States legally.
Determine Your Immigration Status:
Before you can sponsor your parents, you must ascertain your own immigration status. You must be either a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident (Green Card holder) to initiate the process.
Be at Least 21 Years Old:
If you are a U.S. citizen, you must be at least 21 years old to sponsor your parents. There is no age requirement for lawful permanent residents.
File an Immigrant Petition:
To bring your parents to the U.S., you must file an immigrant petition on their behalf. If you are a U.S. citizen, you can use the Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. If you are a lawful permanent resident, you can file the same form, but your parents will be placed in the F2B category for family-sponsored preference visas.
Prove Your Relationship:
You will need to provide evidence of your relationship to your parents. Birth certificates, marriage certificates, and other relevant documents will be necessary.
Affidavit of Support:
As the sponsoring family member, you must demonstrate that you have the financial means to support your parents in the U.S. This often involves completing an Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) and providing evidence of your income and financial stability.
Wait for Visa Availability:
The availability of visas for parents varies based on your parent's home country and the immigration category (immediate relative of a U.S. citizen or family-sponsored preference) under which they are applying. There may be a waiting period for visa numbers to become available.
Consular Processing:
Once the visa numbers are available, your parents will need to go through consular processing at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country. This process includes an interview and medical examination.
Green Card Application:
If your parents are approved for immigrant visas, they will enter the U.S. as lawful permanent residents. After arrival, they can apply for their Green Cards, which provide them with legal permanent resident status.
Two-Year Conditional Residence (if applicable):
In some cases, parents may be granted conditional residence for two years, particularly if they were sponsored by a U.S. citizen child and the parents' marriage to the U.S. citizen child occurred less than two years before they became a permanent resident.
Apply for Citizenship (if eligible):
After five years of permanent residency (or three years if married to a U.S. citizen), your parents can apply for U.S. citizenship if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Conclusion
Reuniting with your parents in the United States is a cherished goal for many immigrants and citizens alike. While the process of bringing parents to the U.S. can be complex and time-consuming, it is entirely achievable with careful planning and adherence to immigration requirements. Working with an experienced immigration attorney can help streamline the process and ensure that you meet all necessary criteria to successfully sponsor your parents for immigration to the United States.