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Who can apply for a family immigration visa?

On Behalf of | Nov 11, 2022 | Immigration |

There are several ways that people can come to the United States. One of these is through a family-based immigration visa. There are several things you should know about these visas. 

In order to apply for one of these visas, the individual has to have a sponsor who is either a citizen or who has a green card. The sponsor must be at least 21 years old, and only certain familial relationships are eligible for this type of visa. 

Types of family-based immigration visas

There are two types of family-based immigration visas

  • Family preference: A family preference visa can be issued for an unmarried child or spouse of a lawful permanent resident. The spouse, child, parent or sibling of a citizen can apply for this type of visa. There are limits to how many can be issued in a fiscal year.
  • Immediate relative: The immediate relative visa only applies to children, parents or the spouse of a citizen. There isn’t a limit to how many people can receive a visa in a fiscal year.

There are specific requirements for anyone who wants to come to this country, even those who want to use the family-based immigration program. Making sure you have everything in order and meet all the qualifications can help the process immensely. 

Whether you want to sponsor a family member to come into the country or you want to apply for a family-based immigration visa for yourself, you should understand the process. Because of frequent immigration law and policy changes, it’s likely best for you to work with someone who can stay abreast of the current state.