U.S. immigration law is complicated, especially in the current political climate.
Immigrants and their families in Mississippi need to be aware of their full range of immigration options. If you or your loved one wants to change immigration status, it is important to have an experienced immigration attorney help you achieve your goals. Here are some things to know.
There are two types of family-based immigration.
Family-based adjustment of status can be done two ways:
- Immediate Relative Immigrant Visa
- Family Preference Immigrant Visa
For immigration, an immediate relative is defined as a person who has a close family relationship with a U.S. citizen. Immediate relative visas are available for:
- A U.S. citizen’s spouse
- A U.S. citizen’s parent who is 21 years of age or older
- A U.S. citizen’s unmarried child who is younger than 21 years of age
- Orphans adopted in other countries by U.S. citizens
- Orphans who will be adopted in the U.S. by U.S. citizens
For more distant family relationships, family preference visas are available. These visas are available for relatives of lawful permanent residents and for relatives of U.S. citizens.
However, there are yearly limits for family preference visas. These kinds of visas fall into four categories:
- Family First Preference: for unmarried children of U.S. citizens, and for any children the unmarried sons and daughters may have
- Family Second Preference: for minor children, spouses and unmarried children (at least 21 years of age) of lawful permanent residents
- Family Third Preference: for married children of U.S. citizens and any spouses or minor children the married sons and daughters may have
- Family Fourth Preference: for U.S. citizens’ siblings and their spouses and minor children, if the U.S. citizens are at least 21 years of age
A single error in the immigration process can be very costly and time-consuming, and mistakes are common.
An experienced immigration lawyer can help you file a visa petition and ensure that your case is handled properly from start to finish.
At Duncan | Kent, PLLC, we help immigrants and their families throughout Mississippi achieve their immigration goals. In fact, attorney C. Tyler Kent is a proud member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Our firm handles a wide variety of immigration issues, including family-based immigration, asylum-based immigration, student visas and deportation defense.
