Can I Bring My Adult Child To The United States?

Once you move to the United States, chances are good that you will want your family to come here, too. While you may move your spouse and minor children with you, it is common to leave your adult children behind. After all, they may have their own lives and business to attend to and cannot move when you do.

But after you get settled in the U.S., your child may decide he or she wants to come live with you. To do this, he or she must get a visa. If you are living in the country legally, you can petition for family members to come into the country, but there are specific rules for doing this.

Limitations

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services explains that you can only bring certain relatives to the country. When it comes to children, you have the right to petition for your children of any age and marital status if you are a citizen. Included with this allowance may be their spouses and children. But this is not guaranteed.

If you are a green card holder, you cannot petition for your children to come to the country if they are married. But if they are unmarried and have a child, you may be able to include the child on the petition.

Other notes

When petitioning for your children, you will need to show proof of your relationship. You can easily do this with a birth certificate or proof from a genetic test. You may also need to provide your marriage certificate or adoption documentation. You need to prove your legal connection to the person as parent and child.