Sponsoring Family
Helping your family immigrate
The U.S. government has two family categories when it comes to immigration:
- Immediate Relatives of U.S. Citizens: The U.S. government does not put a limit on the number of green cards it issues in this category. You can enter the U.S. as soon as your application is approved and processed.
- Other Family: This category has a limited number of green cards, which are issued on a first-come, first-served basis. The wait times can be long.
Who can sponsor me?
If you want to immigrate to the U.S. through a family member, they must be a U.S. citizen or a legal permanent resident. Family members can sponsor you if you are their:
- Husband or wife
- Child under 21 years old
- Unmarried child over 21
- Married child of any age
- Brother or sister (if you are at least 21 years old)
- Parents (provided they are at least 21 years old)
Who is considered an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen?
For immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, an immigrant visa number will be issued immediately, once the petition is approved. You will not have to wait for an immigration visa number to become available. In this case, immediate relatives include:
- Parents
- Spouses
- Unmarried children under the age of 21
I'm married to my same-sex partner. Can I sponsor them?
At this time, the U.S. government considers only heterosexual marriages for immigration. Even though same-sex marriage is available in some U.S. states, immigration law is a federal issue and recognizes only opposite-sex marriages.
However, many same-sex partners qualify under employment sponsorship or political asylum. Homosexuality is not grounds to deny someone a visa or green card.
Who is considered other family?
If you are not a parent, spouse or unmarried child of a U.S. citizen, you might be considered “other family” and will have to wait to be issued an immigration visa number. These are issued based on preference categories. The order of preference is:
- Unmarried adult children (over 21) of U.S. citizens
- Spouses and unmarried children of permanent residents
- Married children of U.S. citizens
- Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens (over 21)
What about grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins?
Although these people are family in the social sense, they are not considered family under immigration law.
How long must sponsored family members wait?
Although there is no waiting period for immediate relatives, the review and approval process can take more than a year.
