Family-Based Immigration

U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents are able to sponsor certain relatives for permanent or temporary visas that allow them to enter the country. At SAC Attorneys LLP, our San Jose immigration lawyers can provide comprehensive legal support to assist families with all immigration matters. Our attorneys can walk you through each step and work to resolve any obstacles that arise.

• Marriage-based visas
• Fiance visas (K-1)
• Adoption immigration
• Sibling-sponsored visas
• Visas for adult children
• Relative green cards

Family-based petitions are assigned a priority date, which is the date the petition was received by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Every month, the U.S. Department of State releases the Visa Bulletin, which announces visa availability for the following month, based on the priority date of the petition.

Where there is no wait for a visa number, such as is the case with immediate relatives, the applicant can file the petition along with an application for adjustment of status if he or she is in the United States. The case will then be sent to a local office for an interview. Otherwise, the individual must wait for the visa date to become current before filing an application for adjustment of status.

In cases where the beneficiary of the petition is overseas, the approved petition will be sent to the National Visa Center which will collect all the necessary documentation and the visa fees. Once the file is complete and a visa is available, the case will be sent to a consulate where the applicant for a visa will be interviewed.

Marriage-based petitions are often more complicated than the other family-based immigration cases because of the requirement that the marriage not occur solely for immigration-related purposes. In order for a petition to be approved, the couple must demonstrate that their intent at the time of entering into the marriage was to establish a life together. The USCIS Field or District Office will investigate the marriage to ensure that there is no fraud involved.

An experienced immigration attorney who is familiar with not only the relevant laws and regulations but also the practices of the local District Office can make all the difference in a marriage-based immigration case.

U.S. citizens can also petition for their foreign fiancés to join them in the United States. The couple must demonstrate their intention to marry within ninety days of entering the United States as well as provide other types of evidence to show that the relationship is bona fide and that the couple is free to marry.

A petition is filed with USCIS and, once approved, is sent to the consulate where the fiancé is interviewed. If the interview is successful, the fiancé is granted a K-1 visa. Children of the fiancé are granted K-2 visas.

These petitions may appear straightforward but both USCIS and the consulates scrutinize fiancé petitions very carefully because of the high incidence of fraud. If the case is delayed or denied because of inability to meet the burden of proof, it can result not only in wasted money and stress because of canceled wedding plans but could also mean that a couple is unable to start their married life together in the U.S.

U.S. immigration law considers adopted children to be children for purposes of immigration benefits as long as the adoption meets the legal requirements set out by law. The requirements and processes for bringing adopted children to the United States are extremely complex and often challenging. Numerous agencies are often involved. It is recommended that anyone intending to adopt an overseas child consult with an attorney who is knowledgeable and experienced in this area of immigration law.

From the paperwork to interview preparation, we can counsel clients in all areas of an immigration case. Contact our San Mateo immigration lawyers at (408) 436-0789. You can also contact us online. We serve clients in San Francisco, Palo Alto, Silicon Valley, Campbell, and throughout California.