Immigration has been in the news a lot lately. Sadly, many people bypass the system and enter the U.S. illegally. There is a legal road to citizenship for aliens with relatives who are citizens. Native-born Americans and naturalized citizens can help relatives in other countries enter the U.S legally. They’ll need help from a Family Immigration Lawyer in Junction City KS.
The Process Is Daunting
Spouses and unmarried children of citizens are considered “immediate relatives.” They can apply for lawful permanent residency at any time. The attorney helps clients file I-130 Petitions. The I-130 is known as the Petition for Alien Relative. There are no limits on visa applications for immediate relatives. Parents and siblings are considered “preference relatives.” Unfortunately, immediate relatives must provide a lot of paperwork. The paperwork is used as evidence by the Citizenship and Immigration Service.
A Family Immigration Lawyer in Junction City KS helps clients to stick with the letter of the law. For instance, many applicants file petitions when they are permanent residents. However, the government must be notified once the petitioner becomes a citizen. This helps speed up the application process.
Evidence
The Immigration Service wants to evaluate the relationship between the petitioner and relative. For instance, reviewers must see a marriage license if the relative is a spouse. Each person should provide a birth certificate and a divorce decree if previously married. The government will also want to see proof that the spouses live at the same address. They may request affidavits from persons who can attest to the parties’ valid marriage.
Hurry Up and Wait
It’s not a secret that there’s a huge backlog of applications. The process can take years and applicants may think something is going wrong. The lawyer contacts the government to make sure the application is on track. Indeed, applications have been known to get lost. The first step in the process is waiting for a receipt after the I-130 is filed. If both parties are in the U.S. they must wait for a fingerprint appointment. The FBI checks the alien relative’s fingerprints to further investigate their background. Learn more about immigration by visiting. You can also visit them on Facebook for more information.
