Family Preference Categories

The sponsoring U.S. citizen or permanent resident relative must file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, on behalf of the foreign national relative. The petition is used to establish a valid family preference relationship between the petitioner and the foreign family member.

The qualifying relationship (e.g. spouse, son/daughter, etc.) must be documented with evidence. When filing Form I-130, you’ll send birth records (i.e. official birth certificate) to establish biological relationships or a marriage certificate to establish a marital relationship. Spouses must also provide proof that the marriage is bona fide (not entered into primarily for purposes of getting a green card).

The U.S. citizen is responsible for filing the I-130 petition to start the process, but your relative is responsible for actually applying for the green card. A family preference immigrant visa applicant will most likely apply through consular processing.

• Consular processing is the process of obtaining an immigrant visa (green card) from outside the United States at a U.S. embassy or consulate. If the family member is physically outside the United States, this is the only available option. Learn more about consular processing >>
• In some rare circumstances, a family preference applicant can apply through adjustment of status. Adjustment of status is the process that a non-immigrant visitor (e.g. student, tourist, etc.) uses to change status to a permanent resident from inside the United States. In other words, if the intending immigrant is already in the U.S. with a temporary visa, he or she may be able to “adjust status” to permanent resident. However, it’s very uncommon for a family preference applicant to adjust status. This option is typically available only to immediate relative applicants. Learn more about adjustment of status >>

There are additional requirements for adjustment of status applicants. For example, the immigrant generally must have a lawful entry into the United States.

When intending immigrant applies for the green card, the U.S. petitioner will also need to file Form I-864, Affidavit of Support. The Affidavit of Support is required for most family-based immigrants to show that they have adequate means of financial support and are not likely to rely on the U.S. government for financial support.

If the immigrant family member is not able to support himself or herself financially, the U.S. sponsor promises to provide financial support. To do this, the U.S. sponsor must generally have an income that is at least 125% of the Federal poverty level. If you the sponsor’s income does not meet the requirement, assets such as checking and savings accounts, stocks, bonds, or property may be considered in determining the sponsor’s financial ability. You can check Federal poverty levels on Form I-864P.

If you are preparing your adjustment of status application packet through CitizenPath, we’ll provide the Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, for you. Get started now >>

Even with a valid family preference relationship, the intending immigrant must demonstrate that he or she is not inadmissible to the United States. In other words, they’ll need to demonstrate that they don’t pose a danger to U.S. society on health, security, immigration violation, or criminal grounds.

• Health
  The intending immigrant will be required to have a medical examination conducted by a USCIS designated physician. The examination is required to establish that an applicant is not a public health risk such as a carrier of a disease that presents a public health risk, or having a dangerous physical or mental disorder.
• Immigration Violations
  The intending immigrant’s immigration history will be reviewed. The application will likely be denied if the intending immigrant has overstayed a visa by six months or more, or if you he/she has ever entered the country unlawfully. The government will also seek to determine if a visa (if applicable) has ever been misused.
• Criminal Record
  The intending immigrant will certainly run into problems if he or she has committed certain crimes, like aggravated felonies, drug crimes, or acts of terrorism.

If there’s a reason that any of the above requirements could be an issue, we recommend that you contact an experienced immigration attorney before filing any USCIS form. In some cases and in certain situations, if you are found inadmissible to the United States you may be eligible to file a waiver on Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Ground of Inadmissibility.