The immediate family members include spouses, children, and parents. The law establishes four preferences for persons who are eligible for permanent immigrant visas to the U.S. based upon family relationships. The total numbers of visas under this category is 480,000 visas. First Preference
Unmarried sons and daughter of U.S. Citizens
The first preference comprises persons who are the unmarried s
ons and daughter of U.S. Citizens. This preference is allotted 23,000 visas annually and includes adult, divorced sons and daughters of U.S. Second Preference
Spouse and unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent resident aliens
This preference is allotted a minimum total of 114,200. If a permanent resident alien of the U.S. marries a foreign person, the U.S. residents’ foreign spouse does not receive permanent resident status until his or her priority date is current. Third Preference
Married sons and daughters of United States Citizens
This preference provides for a total of 23,400 visas, plus any visas that have not been used by the first two family-sponsored preference groups. Fourth Preference
Brothers and sisters of United States citizens
The fourth preference provides for a total of 65,000 visas or twenty-four percent of the worldwide annual quota plus any visas that have not been utilized by the first three family-sponsored preference groups and benefits qualified persons who are the siblings of United States Citizens. Family of Refugees & Asylees
Eligibility Criteria
-Spouse
-Child (unmarried and under 21 when you first applied for asylum or refugee status)
-As the Petitioner, you must be a principal refugee or asylee. This means that you were granted refugee or asylee status directly and did not obtain it through a relative.
-You entered the United States as a refugee within the past two years or were granted asylum within the past two years.
-You remain in refugee or asylee status or have become a permanent resident
-The family relationship to exist before you came to the United States as a refugee or were granted asylum
Six Criminal Grounds of Inadmissibility
1.Conviction or admission of a crime of moral turpitude or a crime involving a drug offense. This designation refers to those crimes that are indicative of bad moral character, such as crimes of theft, assault and battery, murder, rape and the like.
2. Conviction of two or more crimes if the combined custodial sentence imposed is for five years or longer regardless of whether or not the crime arose form a single stream of events or whether or not the crimes were of moral turpitude.
3.When the consular or immigration officer knows or has reason to believe that the alien is or was a drug trafficker or was a person who aided, abetted, or conspired in drug trafficking.
4. Any alien who was involved in prostitution or is coming to the United States to engage in any other unlawful commercialized vice.
5.Aliens involved in serious criminal activity who have asserted immunity from prosecution and departed.
6. Aliens who have been convicted of aggravated felonies as that term is defined by law. The Three and Ten Year Bars
Three Years: If you spent more than 180 continuous days in the United States unlawfully, you could be barred from coming back for three years. Ten Years: If you spent more than one continuous year in the United States unlawfully, you could be barred from coming back for ten years. Sponsor’s Financial Requirements
The sponsor must have net assets 125% over the poverty line. A person holding a green card cannot apply for government welfare for five years after getting their green card. The Sponsor will have to fill out a Form I-864 Affidavit of Support with their package. Two Year Testing Period For New Marriages
You must be married for two years to obtain a permanent green card. If you apply soon then you will receive a conditional card, good for two years.
