As experienced Nashville immigration attorneys, we can guide you in reuniting with your family members.
In the United States, the entire immigration system is undergoing a dramatic overhaul. The laws that apply in different situations are changing, as are the requirements for obtaining citizenship. Family petitions and sponsorships continue to help people reunite with their loved ones and provide a pathway to becoming a legal resident. However, with the rapid changes the current administration is proposing, it is important to act quickly in taking advantage of this program.
Helping Family Members Immigrate to the U.S.
Family sponsorship does work and is one of several ways of establishing Legal Permanent Resident (LPR) status in the United States. In fact, the U.S. State Department estimates that more than 212,000 immigrants obtained a visa in this manner over the course of 2017.
In order to take advantage of the family sponsorship program, the sponsor must be a U.S. citizen or a legal green card holder. For immediate family members, such as spouses and minor children, the process is faster because there are no immigration quotas. We can help these loved ones obtain a visa number by filing a petition. While siblings, adult children, and other family members are eligible as well, the process is often more difficult and time-consuming.
There are a limited number of green cards that are allotted for each individual country and limits on how many are given out each year (except for “immediate relatives,” explained above). As a result, relatives who are not immediate family members could end up on a wait list. Once your application is filed, it can take numerous years before it is eventually proved, which is why it is important that you begin the process as soon as possible. We can help!
Is The U.S. Putting an End to ‘Chain Migration’?
Family sponsorship is often referred to in the press as “chain migration,” and it is a frequent topic in the news, even though it is not a legal term that appears anywhere in the immigration laws. The White House seems intent on putting a stop to this means of obtaining residency status, a move that is part of the current administration’s overall policy on immigration reform. This makes it all the more urgent for you to take the steps now to file a petition.
If new immigration laws are passed, family sponsorship would likely still be available, but the requirements for obtaining a visa (and permanent residence) would likely change. Rather than being based solely on the relationship between a current U.S. citizen and a loved one who is a resident of another country, the government would look at what the person seeking to immigrate has to offer the United States. This is referred to as merit-based immigration, in which high-paying job offers, past academic or professional achievements, and the ability to speak English are all qualifying factors.
We oppose efforts to change our immigration laws to discourage family unity. If you have been considering sponsoring a loved one, you may choose to begin that process now, before any laws change.
Our Nashville Immigration Attorneys are Here to Help You
With all the changes in the current immigration system, it is important to have an experienced Nashville immigration attorney fighting for your rights. If you are considering family sponsorship as a means of reuniting your loved ones in this country, call or contact Ozment Law, PLC online today and request a consultation to find out how we can help.