Immigration Through Family

Overview

Family-sponsored immigration is a multi-step process that involves both the U.S. relative and the foreign national:

• The U.S. relative submits the Petition for Alien Relative to the USCIS
• USCIS approves the petition and forwards it to the National Visa Center (NVC)
• NVC notifies the foreign relative when an immigrant visa number becomes available
• The foreign relative secures the visa number by adjusting status (if residing in the U.S., or completing the process with the local U.S. Consulate if outside the U.S.)

Family-sponsored immigrant visas are:

1. Fiancé Visa
2. Marriage to a U.S. Citizen
3. Immediate Relative Petition
4. Relatives of Legal Permanent Residents
5. Removal of Conditions