How Do I Help My Relative Become A U.S. Permanent Resident?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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To become a financial sponsor, you must

file an I-864, or an Affidavit of Support

. In this affidavit, you promise to support the non-citizen once the non-citizen enters the U.S. To be a financial sponsor, you must: Be a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident.

Can a U.S. citizen help someone get a green card?

If you are either a native-born or a naturalized U.S. citizen, and you have relatives who were born in another country, you may, in certain cases, be able to help them obtain U.S. lawful permanent residence (a green card).

What form is it to help relative immigrate to the US?

Submitting

Form I-130

is the first step in helping an eligible relative apply to immigrate to the United States and get Green Card.

How do I help my relative become a U.S. permanent resident 2021?

To do so, you will need to sponsor your relative and be able to prove that you have enough income or assets to support your relative(s) when they come to the United States. You begin the process by

filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative

. An I-130 form is available on our Web site at www.uscis.gov.

Can green card holder sponsor siblings?

However, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., or green card holders,

cannot sponsor siblings

. They must go through the naturalization process to become citizens before applying on behalf of a brother or sister.

How much money do you need to sponsor someone in US?

The most common minimum annual income required to sponsor a spouse or family member for a green card is

$22,887

. This assumes that the sponsor — the U.S. citizen or current green card holder — is not in active military duty and is sponsoring only one relative.

What relatives can a U.S. citizen sponsor?

US citizens can sponsor their

parents, spouse, sons and daughters (minors and adults, unmarried or married), and siblings

. Lawful Permanent Residents can sponsor their spouse, minor children and unmarried adult sons and daughters.

Can I sponsor my nephew to USA?


US citizens cannot sponsor their nephews

and they can only sponsor their parents, siblings, spouses and children.

What is the difference between lawful permanent resident and permanent resident?

What is a lawful permanent resident?

A lawful permanent resident is someone who has been granted the right to live in the United States indefinitely

. Permanent residence includes the right to work in the U.S. for most employers or for yourself. Permanent residents continue to hold citizenship of another country.

What is required of a person if immigrating permanently for work?


A job offer

is required and the U.S. employer must file an Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, Form I-140, on behalf of the applicant. Applicants may apply for an exemption, known as a National Interest Waiver, from the job offer and labor certification if the exemption would be in the national interest.

How many years does it take to get PR in USA?

In most cases, it takes about two years for a green card to become available, and the entire process takes

around three years

.

How long does it take to sponsor a brother to USA 2021?

If you’ve submitted everything correctly and accurately, the application will be approved. This usually takes somewhere

between 2 to 5 years

. But the waiting time may further extend in some cases. You may be asked to wait until the priority date and the visa bulletin dates become current.

Can I bring my parents to USA permanently?


ONLY US citizens are allowed to bring their parents to the United States permanently

. For those who are eligible to bring their parents to the US as a legal immigrant, there is a two-step process. First, USCIS must approve an immigrant visa petition that you file for your parent.

Can you sponsor your cousin to USA?

Family Sponsorship Green Cards

Grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, parents-in-law, and other extended family members are not included in immediate relatives.

You may be able to sponsor preference relatives beyond immediate relatives

.

What is the wait time for parents green card?

Green cards for parents of U.S. citizens

For parents of U.S. citizens, the process usually takes

10-13 months

. Like for spouses of U.S. citizens, there is no limit on the number of green cards. Therefore, you can generally get a green card based on your parent relationship within one year.

How long do you have to stay in the US to maintain your green card?

Leaving the United States for less than

six months

is usually not a problem. An absence of six to 12 months triggers heightened USCIS scrutiny, and an absence of more than 12 months leads to a “rebuttable presumption” that LPR status has been abandoned.

Can I petition my brother?

If you are a U.S. citizen, and at least 21 years old, you can petition for your siblings (brothers or sisters) to live in the United States as green card holders (lawful permanent residents). Siblings include children from at least one common parent. You do not necessarily need to be related to your sibling by blood.

Can I hire my sister as a nanny in USA?

The short answer is that there are many qualified nannies in the US already so

you will not be allowed to bring your sister here under a work VISA for that purpose

.

What family members can sponsor green card?

  • Spouse of a lawful permanent resident.
  • Unmarried child under the age of 21 of a lawful permanent resident.
  • Unmarried son or daughter of a lawful permanent resident 21 years old or older.

Can a green card holder invite parents to visit?

To petition for your parents (mother or father) to live in the United States as Green Card holders, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 21 years old.

Green Card holders (permanent residents) may not petition to bring parents to live permanently in the United States

.

How much money do I need to make to sponsor an immigrant 2021?

For example, in 2021, a sponsor in the U.S. mainland would need to have income (or assets) of

at least $33,125

to cover a petitioner who lives alone and is sponsoring one immigrant and two children (that is, a total of four people).

How long are you financially responsible for someone you sponsor?

The sponsor’s responsibility lasts

until the immigrant becomes a U.S. citizen, has earned 40 work quarters credited toward Social Security

(a work quarter is about three months, so this means about ten years of work), dies, or permanently leaves the United States.

Can a U.S. citizen sponsor a friend for green card?

They do not need to be related to either the sponsoring spouse or the spouse seeking a green card.

A joint sponsor can be a friend or family member

. They do not have to live with either spouse, but if they do, they need to fill out Form I-864A (officially called the “Contract Between Sponsor and Household Member”).

How do you sponsor a relative?

on a relative petition must have a financial sponsor.

If you choose to sponsor your relative’s immigration by

filing a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative

, you must agree to be the financial sponsor and file an affidavit of support when the time comes for actual immigration.

Can a relative sponsor me to live in USA?

You can petition to bring family members to the United States (often called “sponsoring” them)

only if you are a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident (green card holder)

.

Maria LaPaige
Author
Maria LaPaige
Maria is a parenting expert and mother of three. She has written several books on parenting and child development, and has been featured in various parenting magazines. Maria's practical approach to family life has helped many parents navigate the ups and downs of raising children.