Family Immigration Attorney in Orlando

Fighting to Keep Families Together

Home is where your family is. If you are trying to immigrate to the United States, being separated can be devastating. At the Sekou Clarke Law Group, we are passionate about bringing families together so that they can truly call America home. If you are dealing with family immigration problems, call our dedicated team right away. Our compassionate team of immigrant attorneys understands your plight. We use our experience and knowledge to advocate for those who can’t fight for themselves.

Call (407) 269-8774 right now to speak with an Orlando family immigration lawyer at our firm.

Sponsoring a Relative

If you are a U.S. citizen or a U.S. permanent resident, you may be able to petition to sponsor a relative so that he or she can travel to the U.S. To sponsor, you need to prove that your income is sufficient to cover all living expenses for the relative you wish to immigrate. Most of this information can be communicated on an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative Form. You also must show evidence of your financial stability. After the USCIS confirms that you are capable of supporting a relative, you have to sign an Affidavit of Support. Once this is recorded, the intending immigrant can apply for a visa to travel to the U.S.

What Relatives Qualify for Family Immigration?

In most cases, only immediate relatives can apply for family-based immigration. There are specific visas given to individuals with different relations to their U.S. sponsor.

Relatives that may be able to immigrate to the U.S. include:

• Spouses
• Unmarried children under the age of 21
• Orphans adopted abroad by a U.S. citizen
• Parents of a U.S. citizen at least 21 years old
• Orphans that will be adopted in the U.S. by a U.S. citizen

Individuals that are related to a U.S. permanent resident may be able to travel on a limited visa. Other relatives that may be able to immigrate include unmarried children of U.S. citizens that are over 21 and their minor children, married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, their spouses and their minor children, and brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens with their spouses and minor children.

Let us do what we can to reunite your family. If sponsorship is not an option, we will explore other options provided by the USCIS. When it comes to immigration, we are passionate about searching for solutions that lead to your best future.

How Do I Apply for a Green Card for My Family?

There are many steps to applying for a green card for a family member. Most of these steps are to be completed by the “petitioner” or “sponsor”, while the final step mentioned in this list is completed by the immigrant.

1. File a Visa Petition (USCIS Form I-130). This involves a fee and documents proving your relationship with the immigrant.
2. USCIS decides on the Visa Petition.
3. Wait until a Visa is available (for preference relatives only).
4. Immigrant applies for an Immigrant Visa or Green Card.

When the U.S. citizen files Form I-130 with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (UCSIS), it lets them know that you wish to sponsor an immigrant. Documents such as a birth or marriage certificate and proof of resident status are required to prove that you have a relationship with the immigrant. If you are a widow, an abused spouse, or a child of a US citizen, you may complete a self-petition with a Form I-360.

It may take months or years for USCIS to approve the petition. If USCIS approves the petition, the case will proceed and the immigrant’s case file will be forwarded to the National Visa Center (NVC). If it is denied, you have the ability to find out why it was denied and if it is fixable, you can file a new petition.

If you are a preference relative (spouse or children of green card holders, or married children or siblings of citizens), you are not eligible for a green card immediately. This is because there is an annual limit on the number of visas that can be approved. The wait can take years and your spot on the waiting list depends on when USCIS received your Form I-130 (also referred to as a Priority Date).

When the petition is approved, the immigrant must apply for permanent residence, usually through a U.S. consulate outside of the United States. The NVC and consulate will communicate directly with the immigrant regarding additional documents, appointments, and interviews that need to be completed. This is what is called “consular processing”. After everything is completed without any issue, a green card will be sent within several weeks.

Give our Orlando family immigration lawyers a call at (407) 269-8774.