How long do I need to wait for the green card for family reunification: data for January

The owner of the green card, along with the opportunity to constantly live and work in the United States, gets the right to reunite with the family that every American citizen has. If he has children, spouse or spouse at home, then he can pick them up in America. However, this process is quite long.

Фото: Depositphotos

ForumDaily found out how it goes and how long it takes for different categories of relatives, based on data from the visa bulletin for January 2020 on the website US Consular Service.

Procedure

A green card holder or citizen of the United States files a petition to begin the reunification procedure. I-130 on the relative who wants to transport.

After approval of the petition will need to provide confirmation of sponsorship - the form I-864 (Affidavit of support). It ensures that a green card holder or a US citizen can financially provide for his relative if necessary.

On the subject: Which of the relatives can be transported to the US by a green card holder

If a relative is in the US at the time of issuing a green card, then the form is submitted to him I-485 - statement of the change of status (Adjustment of status).

For close relatives (husband / wife, unmarried children up to 21), a US citizen has no restrictions on the number of immigration visas - they are issued as documents are drawn up in turn. Therefore, such green cards, as a rule, are issued relatively quickly - within a year and a half.

But for relatives of the green card holder or non-close relatives of a US citizen, the procedure is more complicated.

They are divided into different priority categories, which are spelled out in the US Immigration and Nationality Act. Accordingly, the higher the priority, the greater the chance of getting a green card.

There are 4 levels in total, which include relatives of green card holders or a US citizen:

• The first: F1 - the unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens;
• Second: F2A - spouses and unmarried children of green card holders under the age of 21;
• Second: F2B - unmarried children of green card holders older than 21;
• Third: F3 - married sons and daughters of US citizens;
• Fourth: F4 - brothers and sisters of US adults.

Each year a certain number of visas is allocated to each category. Often there are more applicants than visas. Therefore, the effect of a snowball appears: those who did not manage to get this year are transferred to the next.

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waiting Period

Track turn can be on the site visa bulletinwhich is updated monthly. Your date of receipt of documents should be compared with the one shown in the newsletter. You will learn that you can get an immigrant visa when they match.

Photo: screenshot travel.state.gov

For example, in January 2020, the line is suitable for those for whom category F1 petitioners submitted documents before March 15, 2014. That is, to reunite the holder of a green card or a US citizen with unmarried sons and daughters, you must wait for almost 6 years.

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According to these data, spouses and unmarried children of green card holders under the age of 21 years (category F2A) wait about 2 months; unmarried children of green card holders over 21 years old (category F2B) - a little less than 5 years. The categories F3 and F4 have to wait the longest, that is, married sons and daughters of US citizens, as well as brothers and sisters of adult US citizens, respectively, their applications are considered for about 12 and 13 years.

You can track the status of applications here.

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