Can you help your parents legally enter the United States?

On Behalf of | Dec 22, 2022 | Family Immigration

Family-based immigration allows people in the United States to help their loved ones join them in the country. Many immigration efforts focus on spouses and children to reunite immediate families. Individuals with visas, permanent residents and citizens may all have specific options for traveling with spouses or children. They may also be able to help loved ones in another country obtain a green card in certain situations.

It is natural for someone to want their immediate family to benefit from their improved life circumstances. Many immigrants make use of programs that help their spouses, fiances and children legally enter the United States.

People often also want to bring their parents to the United States. Your parent could serve as a support for your family by taking care of your children while you develop your career or could enjoy their retirement in comfort after making sacrifices for you when you were a child. When do you have the opportunity to help your parent get a green card?

You must be an adult and a citizen

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will approve special visas for the parents of United States citizens. Applicants need to be at least 21 years of age and either natural-born or naturalized citizens.

Unfortunately, neither those entering the country with a visa nor those who have a green card will be eligible to help their parents enter the country permanently. For some people, the option of helping their parents and possibly also their siblings could be a reason to undergo the naturalization process.

Immigration documents can be difficult to manage without help

Some people will have a hard time navigating the immigration process when they want to help a loved one in another country. The paperwork provided by the USCIS can be somewhat complex, and the instructions are not always sufficient to help people complete the paperwork without any mistakes.

Many families find that working with an immigration attorney is necessary to streamline the process and guard against the possibility of small oversights delaying the process or resulting in a denied application. Educating yourself about family-based immigration will help you make the most of the programs currently available.

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