Family Based Visas

Family based visas are given to individuals who have a close relationship to a US Citizen or permanent resident.

Family of U.S Citizens to live as Permanent Residents:

  • Spouse: In order to bring your spouse (husband or wife) to live in the United States as a Green Card holder (permanent resident), you must be either a U.S. citizen or Green Card holder.
  • Children: The age and marital status of your children are important factors in the immigration process. For immigration purposes, a “child” is an unmarried person under 21 years of age. A “son” or “daughter” is a person who is married or is 21 years of age or older. For additional clarification, please read the requirements listed below.
  • Parents: To petition for your parents (mother or father) to live in the United States as Green Card holders, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 21 years old. Green Card holders (permanent residents) may not petition to bring parents to live permanently in the United States.
  • Siblings: To petition to bring your sibling (brother or sister) to live in the United States as a Green Card holder, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 21 years of age. Permanent residents may not petition to bring siblings to live permanently in the United States.
  • Fiancé(e): If you are a U.S. citizen who wants to bring your foreign fiancé(e) to the United States in order to get married, you will need to file a Form I-129F, Petition For Alien Fiancé(e). This is the first step to obtaining a K-1 nonimmigrant visa for your fiancé(e). The K-1 nonimmigrant visa is also known as a fiancé(e) visa.
    • In order to obtain a K-1 fiancé(e) visa, you and your fiancé(e) must intend to marry each other within 90 days of your fiancé(e) entering the U.S as a K-1 nonimmigrant. Your marriage must be valid, meaning both you and your fiancé(e) have a bona fide intent to establish a life together and the marriage is not for the sole purpose of obtaining an immigration benefit.
    • If your fiancé(e) marries you within 90 days of being admitted to the United States as a K-1 nonimmigrant, he or she may apply for lawful permanent resident status in the United States (a Green Card).
    • If you have already married, plan to marry outside the United States, or your fiancé(e) is already residing legally in the United States, your spouse or fiancé(e) is not eligible for a fiancé(e) visa. Go to the Bringing Spouses to Live in the United States as Permanent Residents page for more information about how to help your foreign spouse apply for a Green Card.

Spouse and his or her children

  • K3-K4 Non immigrant visa: This is the first step for your spouse and his or her children to obtain a visa to come to the United States while you wait for USCIS to make a decision on the Form I-130. Historically, you and your family members might have been separated for some time while waiting for a decision on your Form I-130. Congress sought to resolve this problem by creating K-3 and K-4 nonimmigrant visas to shorten the time your family would need to spend apart. However, because USCIS now takes less time to adjudicate the Form I-130, the current need for K-3 and K-4 visas is rare.

Family of Green Card Holders (Permanent Residents):

As a Green Card holder (permanent resident), you may petition for certain family members to immigrate to the United States as permanent residents.

You may petition for the following family members:

  • Spouse (husband or wife)
    • In order to bring your spouse (husband or wife) to live in the United States as a Green Card holder (permanent resident), you must be either a U.S. citizen or Green Card holder.
  • Unmarried children under 21
    • The age and marital status of your children are important factors in the immigration process. For immigration purposes, a “child” is an unmarried person under 21 years of age.
  • Unmarried son or daughter of any age
    • A “son” or “daughter” is a person who is married or is 21 years of age or older. For additional clarification, please read the requirements listed below.

Family of Refugees and Asylees:

If you entered the United States as a refugee within the past 2 years or were granted asylee status within the past 2 years, you may petition for certain family members to obtain derivative refugee or asylee status.

Same-Sex Marriages:

“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) [are] to review immigration visa petitions filed on behalf of a same-sex spouse in the same manner as those filed on behalf of an opposite-sex spouse.” Statement from Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano on July 1, 2013

U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident in a same-sex marriage to a foreigner

Your eligibility to petition for your spouse, and your spouse’s admissibility as an immigrant at the immigration visa application or adjustment of status stage, will be determined according to applicable immigration law and will not be denied as a result of the same-sex nature of your marriage.

For more information on immigration law, click here.