"Younossi Law has worked very hard to ensure that our needs are met. We get immediate response to our questions; and they work very closely with the in-house counsel to analyze our options and craft the best possible visa solutions to fit our company's needs and philosophy." - Senior Counsel, Wells Fargo & Company (Financial Services Industry)
Who We Serve:
Families
Options that Bring People Together
The modern world presents us with opportunities all over the globe, and maintaining family ties can be a challenge. We understand that beyond all of the forms, statutes and policies, are people who want to be together. That's why uniting family members has always been a highlight of our work.
We represent many clients who immigrate to the U.S. based on their relationship to a U.S. citizen. Depending on what type of relationship it is and when the sponsorship was initially filed with the government, there are many different things to consider. We are happy to lead our family-based clients through this process and help remove the uncertainty you may face.
Our experience with family-based immigration includes the following:
US Citizens and their Fiancées
K-1 Nonimmigrant Visa Category.
This temporary visa was a recent addition to the USCIS's list of nonimmigrant visa categories and was set aside for fiancées of American citizens who plan on entering the U.S. to wed an American citizen. There are strict timing guidelines associated with this visa, so timing and planning of the proper filing of the K-visa petition becomes as important as planning and timing of the wedding itself.
US Citizens and their Spouses
If you are married to a U.S. citizen, you are immediately eligible to apply for Permanent Resident status based as a "first-preference" consideration for an immigrant visa number. Foreign national spouses, regardless of their country of birth or nationality, are considered first in line for immigrant visa numbers and are always able to immediately file for the Green Card based solely on the marriage relationship. This is generally the fastest route to Permanent Resident status. Depending on how long you have been married to a U.S. citizen, you might be granted Conditional Permanent Resident status. In that case, you would need to apply for removal of the conditions within two years of your originally applying for the marriage-based Green Card, so you are granted full Permanent Resident status. We assist with both of these steps.
US Citizens and their Parents and Children
As with spouses of U.S. citizens, the foreign national parents and children (under 21) of U.S. citizens are also immediately eligible to apply for Permanent Resident status. This can be done by filing applications with the USCIS in the U.S. or at a U.S. Consulate abroad through the Department of State.
A Note on Limitations and Delays
The U.S. Congress has historically placed a great emphasis on the family-based immigration process and allowing individuals who have immigrated to, or naturalized in, the U.S. to sponsor their families for Permanent Residence so that the families are united. Although uniting families is the goal, the law provides for a limited number of family-based immigrant visa numbers to be made available each year.
As with employment-based Permanent Residence, Immigrant Visa numbers are distributed so that no one country dominates the immigrant visa use and no one preference category absorbs the month's, or year's, allotment too quickly. Individuals from countries with larger immigrant populations to the U.S. can therefore expect longer wait times until an immigrant visa number is available for him/her.
To learn how we can help bring you and your family members together, please contact us today.
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