What Are The 2 Types Of Family-based Immigrant Visas?

When you live in North Carolina as either a U.S. citizen or a green card holder, a time may come when you wish to help your family members living abroad come to live in the United States with you. Before a citizen of another nation may move to the United States and stay with you, he or she needs to have an immigrant visa.

Per the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, there are two primary categories for family-based immigrant visas: Immediate Relative visas and Family Preference visas.

Immediate Relative visas

Your loved one may be able to secure an Immediate Relative visa if he or she is an immediate relative. If you are a U.S. citizen, you may be able to sponsor a husband, wife or an unmarried child under 21. The same holds true if you adopt a child from overseas. As a U.S. citizen, you may also be able to help a parent secure an Immediate Relative visa. There is no limit to how many people may get

Family Preference visas

A limited number of immigrants may be able to obtain Family Preference visas, which cater to relatives who are not immediate family members of U.S. citizens or green card holders. Many relatives not eligible for Immediate Relative visas may be eligible for Family Preference visas, including married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, among others.

The process involved in sponsoring a relative and helping him or her secure a family-based immigrant t visa is often a timely one. Depending on the relationship between you and the party you wish to sponsor, the process may take years.