For those who seek to understand how to apply for USA family visa for immigrants there is good news. If you want to migrate to the U.S and be with your family, you need a family visa.
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This visa allows you (as an immigrant) to join your family (be it husband, wife, mother, father, brother, sister, etc.) already living in the U.S.
Although the process can be long and may require detailed steps, with the right steps we will share with you on this page you can successfully apply and get the visa easily.
Steps on How to Apply for USA Family Visa for Immigrants
There are a few steps you must take when applying for the USA family visa for immigrants and the first step in applying for an immigrant visa is for the U.S. citizen (petitioner) to file an immigrant visa petition, form I-130, on behalf of a qualifying relative (beneficiary).
If you are more than one, then, a separate petition must be filed for each person immigrating. U.S. citizens resident in the United States can file the petition with the proper office of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.
It is important to know that as a petitioner residing in Poland or Belarus, you have to file I-130 Petitions for Alien Relatives with the USCIS Chicago Lockbox facility. The directive is by the USCIS regulations.
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Furthermore, if you must file a petition for your wife or husband then you must do that after the marriage ceremony has taken place.
In the case of someone who is a natural child of a U.S. citizen, the person may have claim to U.S. citizenship. As such, filing a petition may not be necessary until it has been established that the child is not a U.S. citizen.
How to Apply for USA Family Visa for the Spouse of a Deceased U.S. Citizen
As a widow or widower of a U.S. citizen, you have the privilege to file an immigrant visa petition, form I-360 (PDF – 230 Kb), on your own behalf in the immediate relative category if you were married to the deceased U.S. citizen and was not legally separated at the time of death and have not remarried.
However, to qualify for this, the petition must be filed with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or a U.S. Embassy within two years of the death of the U.S. citizen.
However, as a widow or widower living in Poland or Belarus, you have to contact the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw via email at [email protected] or by calling +48 22 625 1042 on weekdays between 14:00 and 16:00 for an appointment and information on the steps which must be taken to file the petition (Form I-360).
For those residing in the United States, you are to contact the USCIS office for further information.
Other Steps to Take on How to Apply for USA Family Visa for Immigrants
Below are other important things you must do before applying family visa for immigrants:
1. You Must Understand the Different Types of Family Visas
You should know that there are two main categories of family visas for immigrants and they are:
- Immediate Relative Visas: These are for close family members of U.S. citizens, such as spouses, children under 21, and parents. There is no limit on the number of these visas issued each year.
- Family Preference Visas: These are for more distant relatives of U.S. citizens and some relatives of lawful permanent residents (green card holders). These include adult children, siblings, and married children. There are limits on the number of these visas issued each year.
2. Ensure You are Eligible
Before applying for this visa, ensure you are eligible for a family visa. The person you are joining in the U.S. (the petitioner) must either be a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident. Also, the person must be able to prove his or her relationship with you, the immigrant (that is, the beneficiary).
3. Pay Fees and Submit Additional Documents
You will need to pay a visa processing fee and submit more documents to the NVC. These documents may include:
- Proof of relationship (Documents like birth or marriage certificates).
- Affidavit of Support (Your sponsor must prove that they can financially support you in the U.S.)
- Civil documents (This includes your passport, police certificates, and other personal documents).
- Visa application form (You’ll fill out the DS-260 form online, which is the official application for your immigrant visa).
4. Go for the Visa Interview
Once your documents are submitted and reviewed, there will be a scheduled visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country.
During the interview, a consular officer will ask questions to confirm your relationship with your family member and your eligibility for the visa. You have to be honest and provide all necessary information and documents.
How Long Does it Take to Process an Immigrant Visa?
It varies and there are exact stipulated time frames. This is because, applicants registered for immigration in the family based preference category are subject to the annual numerical limitation on immigrants admitted into the United States.
In fact, sometimes they can wait for the availability of a visa number before final action is taken. And whenever there are more qualified applicants for a category than there are available numbers, the category will be considered oversubscribed and immigrant visas will be issued in the chronological order in which the petition was filed.
What this means is that the administrative processing of an application will not start until the priority date. That is, the date on which the petition is filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), becomes current.
Also, the waiting period in the family or employment based preference categories varies from category to category. However, it can extend to several years, but the priority dates are updated every month by the Department of State and published on their website in the Visa Bulletin.
In a nutshell, it is okay to say that applying for a U.S. family visa for immigrants can be complex, but by following the steps we discussed above, you can navigate the process more easily.
All you need to do is to ensure you meet the requirements and provide accurate information to avoid delays. With patience and preparation, you can successfully join your family in the United States.
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