Immigration of Relatives

[screamneagle]

I was asked and didn't know the answer so I'm turning to the experts ... once again. The question my wife and step daughter asked was, when they receive their green cards and become Permanent Legal Residents, what relatives (if any) can they sponsor to immigrate to the U.S. They also wanted to know if cousins were allowed and if not how could they immigrate to the U.S. if they wanted to come. I don't have a clue so any information would be appreciated!

[dnoblett]

I was asked and didn't know the answer so I'm turning to the experts ... once again. The question my wife and step daughter asked was, when they receive their green cards and become Permanent Legal Residents, what relatives (if any) can they sponsor to immigrate to the U.S. They also wanted to know if cousins were allowed and if not how could they immigrate to the U.S. if they wanted to come. I don't have a clue so any information would be appreciated!

 

Green-card holders are quite limited as to who the can sponsor.

 

• Spouse
• Child

That's it.

 

US Citizens can sponsor:

 

 

• Spouse
• Child
• Step child under age 18 at time of marriage.
• Sibling
• Parent

No one can sponsor:

 

• IN-Laws
• Aunts, Uncles
• Grandparents
• Grandchildren
• Niece, Nephews

 

Edited May 3, 2011 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[screamneagle]

I was asked and didn't know the answer so I'm turning to the experts ... once again. The question my wife and step daughter asked was, when they receive their green cards and become Permanent Legal Residents, what relatives (if any) can they sponsor to immigrate to the U.S. They also wanted to know if cousins were allowed and if not how could they immigrate to the U.S. if they wanted to come. I don't have a clue so any information would be appreciated!

 

Green-card holders are quite limited as to who the can sponsor.

 

• Spouse
• Child

That's it.

 

US Citizens can sponsor:

 

 

• Spouse
• Child
• Step child under age 18 at time of marriage.
• Sibling
• Parent

No one can sponsor:

 

• IN-Laws
• Aunts, Uncles
• Grandparents
• Grandchildren
• Niece, Nephews

 

 

Thanks, Dan! Is there any way for a relative on the "No One Can Sponcor" list to immigrate to the U.S.?

[dnoblett]

I was asked and didn't know the answer so I'm turning to the experts ... once again. The question my wife and step daughter asked was, when they receive their green cards and become Permanent Legal Residents, what relatives (if any) can they sponsor to immigrate to the U.S. They also wanted to know if cousins were allowed and if not how could they immigrate to the U.S. if they wanted to come. I don't have a clue so any information would be appreciated!

 

Green-card holders are quite limited as to who the can sponsor.

 

• Spouse
• Child

That's it.

 

US Citizens can sponsor:

 

 

• Spouse
• Child
• Step child under age 18 at time of marriage.
• Sibling
• Parent

No one can sponsor:

 

• IN-Laws
• Aunts, Uncles
• Grandparents
• Grandchildren
• Niece, Nephews

 

 

Thanks, Dan! Is there any way for a relative on the "No One Can Sponcor" list to immigrate to the U.S.?

 

Forgot to add, when a green-card holder sponsors a spouse or a child, the petition goes into one of the visa limitation classes, so will end up waiting a several years before eventually getting a visa number assigned to the case.

 

As for the ineligable cases, the only option is to sponsor some one that you can sponsor, and once that person immigrates and becomes a resident or citizen, that person sponsors the person you cannot.

 

For example

 

Grandparent...

Your spouse first becomes a citizen, then sponsors their parent, parent immigrates, becomes a citizen 5 years later, and then sponsors their parent (Your spouse's grandparent).

 

Niece/Nephew.

Spouse becomes a citizen, sponsor's their sibling, (Niece/Nephew) comes along in the package depending on how long it takes to get sibling a visa, (YEARS...)

 

Aunt/Uncle

Again become a citizen, sponsor parent, and parent eventually sponsors their own siblings after first becoming a citizen, (YEARS and then some)

Edited May 4, 2011 by dnoblett (see edit history)

[screamneagle]

Thanks again, Dan! That's what I needed to know. I will pass this along. Seems like by the end of the whole process all those your wife would like to sponsor after she becomes a citizen will be dead ... having died of old age!