If you’re an immigrant living in Texas, you might be able to use your status to help your family members move to the United States and become citizens. To start, you’ll have to fill out Form I-130 and mail it to a nearby office. Once the immigration office receives the application, you’ll have to take a few more steps before your family member can officially become a legal resident.
What happens after you submit Form I-130?
After you’ve submitted your form, you’ll receive a Notice of Action within three weeks. The Notice of Action lets you know if your application has been accepted or denied. The Notice might also ask you to provide more information so United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can make a decision.
If the USCIS accepts your application, they will review your form. Under immigration law, there are two categories of relatives: Immediate Relatives and Family Preferences. Immediate Relatives are immediate family members like your spouse, parents and unmarried children. These relatives take priority over Family Preference relatives, which includes other relatives like siblings, grandchildren and married children with their spouses.
If you’re applying on behalf of an Immediate Relative, USCIS will review your application as quickly as possible. You can apply for an unlimited amount of Immediate Relative green cards. Family Preference applications are limited and can take several months to review. An immigration attorney could educate you about this process in more detail.
Once the USCIS approves your application, your family member can officially apply for a green card. If they already live in the United States, they can submit Form I-485 to apply. Otherwise, they can apply for an immigrant visa and become a citizen once they arrive in the country.
Do you need help bringing your relatives to the U.S.?
Helping your family members become U.S. citizens can take several years or more, especially if the USCIS keeps denying your applications. Hiring an attorney could speed up the process. Your attorney could help you fill out the paperwork and overcome any roadblocks that threaten to slow down the process.
