IMMIGRATION HELP PHILADELPHIA
Child immigrants
If you are a United States citizen or a green card holder, you may be eligible to file a petition to have your son or daughter come live with you in the United States. For immigration purposes, a person is considered a child if they are unmarried and under the age of 21. A person who is married and/or over the age of 21, they are no longer a child, but instead a son or daughter. If you are a United States citizen, you may petition for your children (which is anyone who is not married and is under the age of 21), your unmarried sons and daughters (who are 21 years or older), and your married sons and daughters (any age). When you petition for your unmarried son or daughter, their children may also be included in this petition. When you petition for your married son or daughter, their children and/or spouse may be included in this petition.
If you are a permanent resident, you may petition for your children (unmarried and under the age of 21), and your unmarried sons and daughters (age 21 or older). The children of your son or daughter may also be included in this petition in both circumstances. There is a lot of documentation required in order to file the petition. You will need to file the I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, and you will need to provide evidence of your United States citizenship. This can be a copy of your US birth certificate, a copy or your unexpired US passport, a copy of your Consular Report of Birth Abroad, a copy of your Naturalization Certificate, OR a copy or your certificate of citizenship. If you are not a United States citizen but are a permanent resident, you must provide a copy (front and back) of your green card, OR a copy of your foreign passport bearing a stamp showing temporary evidence of your permanent residence. If either your name or your child’s name has changed, you will be required to provide proof of a legal name change.
Adoptive and step-parents are also eligible to petition to bring their adoptive and step-children to the United States permanently. In this case, there will be other evidence or documents that need to be filed so please contact us so we can help guide you through this process. It can be difficult to keep track of everything that needs to be filed, which can cause lengthy and unnecessary delays in the application process. If you are a United States citizen, your child is eligible to live, work, and go to school in the United States while the application is pending. To do this, form I-129F needs to be filed. This is not a requirement, though. Your child is also permitted to wait abroad until the application is granted. If you are a permanent resident, it is unlikely that your child is eligible for this benefit. Please contact us and we can look into the matter for you. |
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