Family-Based Immigration Overview
Under Federal Law, United States citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPR) can bring their family members into the country. The most usual type of legal immigration, family-based immigration, makes up two-thirds of immigration into the USA. This process allows U.S. citizens and LPRs to sponsor some family members for green cards. Sponsoring based on some family ties avoids restrictions on the number of visas issued each year under other categories, but the more family links, the less visas available yearly. Petitioners and Beneficiaries Family-based immigration requires the involvement of at least two family members, a petitioner, and a beneficiary. The petitioner must be a lawful permanent resident or U.S. citizen who intends to sponsor an overseas family member for a permanent residency. The beneficiary is a member of a family who comes from overseas and wishes to get a green card. The beneficiary may be a spouse and kids who qualify as derivative beneficiaries in some categories...