The Family Visa Your Family Member Needs
A U.S. citizen can bring their family members into the United States. This same basic fact applies to permanent residents who currently live/work in the United States, although it is a little more limited.
Going over the family visa a U.S. citizen and/or permanent resident’s family member needs, while speaking with a lawyer, will make it much easier to obtain the right visa.
What Is A Family Visa?
A family visa is a visa that allows the family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents to live and, more often than not, work in the United States.
Just as an example, if a U.S. citizen has a spouse who is from another country, then they can sponsor their foreign spouse for a visa.
By doing the above, a foreign spouse will be able to live, and work, in the United States, as their spouse. This can lead to U.S. citizenship if enough time passes and, naturally, the requirements for U.S. citizenship are satisfied.
What Family Visa Does Your Family Member Need?
The answer to the question outlined above is “It depends on the family member and their relationship to the permanent resident/U.S. citizen that wants to sponsor them.”
Just as an example, if a U.S. citizen wants to bring their foreign spouse into the United States, then they can do so by sponsoring them for the visa that allows a foreign spouse to live in the United States.
Given the facts outlined above, the family visa that a U.S. citizen and/or permanent resident’s family member may need, depending on their familial relationship, can be found right below:
- If a U.S. citizen wants to bring their unmarried son or daughter, who is over 21 years old, into the United States, they can do so using a first preference family visa.
- If a permanent resident wants to bring their unmarried or daughter, who is under 21 years old, into the United States, they can do so on a second preference family visa.
- If a U.S. citizen wants to bring their married son or daughter, of any age, into the United States, they can do so on a third preference F2A or F2B visa.
- If a U.S. citizen wants to bring their brother or sister, of any age, into the United States, they can do so on a fourth preference family preference visa.
- If a U.S. citizen wants to bring their foreign fiancé into the United States, they can do so on a K-1 visa that allows them to get married in the United States, so that their spouse can become a permanent resident.
Outside of the visas that have been outlined above, a wide variety of other, equally useful, visas are available to family members.. But, the visas outlined above are the most common and, as such, often the most useful.
Speak With A Houston Marriage & Family Visa Lawyer Today
If you want to bring your family member into the United States, you must sponsor them for the right visa. Speak with a Houston marriage and family visa lawyer at BBA Immigration and we will help you obtain the right visa.
Sources:
uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-eligibility/green-card-for-family-preference-immigrants
travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration/nonimmigrant-visa-for-a-fiance-k-1.html
