Family-Based Immigration
Family-Based Visa Attorney in Boulder, Colorado
Sponsored visa applications
Immigration lawyer Lisa E. Battan provides comprehensive legal advice and representation for people facing family based immigration issues and opportunities. Your family is important to you, and you can trust in our immigration law experience to help make the immigration process as simple and trouble-free as possible.
The following information is intended to help you gain a better understanding of family-based immigration issues. If you need assistance in a family immigration matter, contact a family-based visa attorney. Our immigration law firm serves families in Colorado, across the United States, and throughout the world.
Family Sponsored Visa Application
Legal permanent residents and United States citizens may sponsor their relatives for admission to the United States. This is based on an American policy that favors reuniting families. The closer the relationship is between the relative and the legal permanent resident or United States citizen, the more the U.S. government favors reuniting these family members in the United States.
Adult U.S. citizens may sponsor their spouses and/or parents without a long wait. However, for other relatives the process may take a long time. The timing depends on how many visas are available and on how many people are applying for those visas. The process also depends on the relative’s country of nationality or chargeability. The visas are divided into preferences:
1st Preference - Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
2nd Preference - Spouses, children, unmarried sons and daughters of legal permanent residents
3rd Preference - Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.
4th Preference - Brothers and sisters of adult citizens. The citizens must be at least 21 years old.
The U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletins
The Department of State publishes a visa bulletin each month. This bulletin provides an estimate on how long the process for family sponsorship will take. The priority date is the date that the person filed an Immigrant Petition with the USCIS. When the Visa Bulletin lists the priority date, all the people with that priority date and any priority date before then may receive a visa. Those people may also be able to apply for permanent residence if they are in the U.S. and in lawful status.
You may see the Visa Bulletin at http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_1360.html. You may also receive the Visa Bulletin by fax at (202) 647-3000. Listen to the instructions when you call. You may also receive the Visa Bulletin by email. Send your email here.
K-1 and K-3 Visas
U.S. Citizens may also apply for nonimmigrant visas for their foreign born fiancés and spouses. Those visas are the K-1 visas and K-3 visas.
To learn more about your options, contact a Colorado immigration lawyer to learn about your options. At Lisa E. Battan, P.C., we are dedicated to helping you and your family have the best possible experience with our immigration system.
Our immigration law firm serves clients in Boulder, Denver, Aurora, Arvada, Lakewood, Broomfield, Brighton, Longmont, Fort Collins, Greeley, Centennial, Golden and Westminster, including Boulder County, Adams County, Arapahoe County, Jefferson County and Douglas County.
We also assist immigration law clients throughout the United States and around the world, including Argentina, Nepal, Canada, the European Union, Mexico, Philippines, Tibet, India and China.
