As a lawful citizen in the United States, you can get a “green card” for your relatives. So, initiate the process of getting a green card for them.
But first, you need to know whom you can help in acquiring a green card or permanent citizenship. Then, you can file a petition for your wife, children, parents, brothers, and sisters.
You will have to prepare all the paperwork and go through the legal procedure so that the person gets a valid green card. Want to get it for your spouse?
Let’s try to discuss and understand the process through which you can help her get a green card.
How To Help Spouse Get The Green Card
We will try to find out how long do you need to wait to bring a spouse to the USA. Let’s touch upon the point to help you with a better understanding.
1. Filing The Petition For Your Spouse
The first step to filing a petition is to fill up forms 1-130. Through the extensive form, you will be proved before the authority that you are a permanent resident of the USA.
This filing is a complex affair and involves a great deal of complexity and extensive paperwork.
Through this paperwork all your credentials on USA soil will be thoroughly checked through this paperwork.
2. Submission Of Important Certificates
Now you have to submit documents before the concerned authority to establish your relationship with that of the member (here it is your wife).
You must show birth certificates, marriage, and other educational degrees. Alongside this, you will also have to provide the same for your wife.
This will work to establish your relationship with your spouse. Now, this is quite complex. Therefore we guided you to take the help of a legal expert so that you bring a Spouse to the USA.
What Does The Petition Do For My Relative?
When you file a Form I-130, it will prove a qualifying relationship with that person for whom you are carrying out the efforts. Then, when you have provided all the certificates to the concerned authorities, they will check the documents.
After you provide all necessary documents to the concerned authorities, now it is their term to act.
If your spouse is presently in the USA, the concerned authorities will make you fill up Form 1-485. The form is mandatory to be filled up to get the visa number for your spouse.
But if your spouse is staying out of the country, you must go through the verification process. The entire process goes through its course.
Then, finally, your spouse will get a visa to arrive in the USA. This is called consular processing. This process, too, is highly critical, and it’s better that you take the help of some bona fide attorney to get all the processing done.
And when everything is fine, your spouse will automatically come in the waiting line of the applicants for a green card.
How Long Will It take?
Now that you have done everything on your part, you can ask how long it takes to get the entire thing complete.
To get the answer, you need to know that U.S. authorities have their preference in approving the Visa.
- The first preference is for U.S. citizens’ unmarried adult sons and daughters.
- The second preference (2A) will be for the spouse of the green card holders and the children who are not married.
- The second preference (2B) is the unmarried sons and daughters of the permanent residents.
- The third preference is the sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
- The fourth preference is for the brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens.
Based on the particular preference, the approvals will take place. For example, if you are applying to Bring a Spouse to the USA, it will not take a huge amount of time.
Closing The Discussion
The documentation and checking thereafter take time. So if you apply to bring a Spouse to the USA, do not lose your patience till you get your desired approval.
But we recommend you take the service of a bonafide lawyer to help you through the entire process.