Serving The Immigration Needs Of The San Diego Area Since 1984

Family-based immigration sometimes has numerical limitations

On Behalf of | Jul 5, 2019 | Family Immigration

Families often want to be close enough to visit each other frequently. This can be rather complex if you have a family that don’t live in this country. The family immigration program might be beneficial for you to bring your loved ones here. The reasons for this vary considerably. Maybe you just want everyone together or maybe your family members are living in a dangerous area overseas.

Before you embark on the process of trying to get them here, you must understand the program. One of the first things that you have to determine is what classification the individuals coming fall into. There are two broad categories. One of these, the immediate relative immigrant visa, is unlimited. This visa is for a citizen’s spouse, unmarried minor children, orphans who are adopted or will be adopted by a citizen and parents of adult citizens.

The family preference immigrant visa category does have limitations as to how many individuals can come into the country each year. This is determined by the relationship the person has to you. There are four preferences. These range from 23,400 people who can come into the United States annually up to 114,200. Some of the classifications in this type can be used by lawful permanent residents, so it is important to understand which ones meet the qualifications of your situation.

As with everything related to immigration law, these family-based petitions might change over time. Learning about these changes before any application is submitted can help to ensure that nobody is wasting valuable time. It can also help you complete the steps without as much stress since you know what to expect.