How to Apply for US Family-Based Immigrant Visas

As Americans continue to drive up the number of immigrants in their lives, more families are looking to come to our shores. But getting a green card isn’t as simple as filling out an application and waiting for your name to be called. To legally immigrate to the United States, you’ll need to meet specific criteria and make several other application steps. The Department of State has several programs that guide you through the immigration bureaucracy. You can also apply for immigrant visas online or by calling one of several international visa assistance hotlines. Here are some ways you can apply for US immigrant visas: - Get referrals from friends and family members who have immigrated. Many applicants will recommend a close friend or family member who has immigrated before, even if they aren’t related. This is because they have already gone through the process and know what it takes to win approval. - Check with local legal counsels or law offices in your area that handle immigration cases to see if they offer referral services. They may be able to help connect you with an attorney or other immigration professionals in your area who specialize in handling family-based immigration cases.

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What is a visa?

Embassies and consulates use a visa to admit persons to a country for a specific purpose. The person entering the country on the visa is called the “visa holder.”

What is an Us Family base visa?

A US Family-Based Immigrant Visa (FBI) is a particular type of visa that lets single parent bring their child with them to the United States. There are several types of FBIIVs, including the “K-1” visa, “K-2” visa, and “K-3” visa. The “K-2” and “K-3” visas are only available to married couples. The “K-1” visa is available to anyone.
The family-based immigrant visas will allow you to live in the US. You can work and go to school or university. You can also own property and get a driver’s license. Finally, you can travel in and out of the US for short periods.

These visas have many benefits, but they are also limited. Each visa has a yearly limit, and applicants get processing on a first-come, first serve basis. The earlier you apply, the higher the chances for processing. Once applications reach the yearly limit, the rest get processing in the following years.

Who can Apply for The US Family Visa?

The complete list of who can apply for a US family-based immigrant visa includes the following: The immediate family of the visa holder, including the spouse, parents, children, and siblings of the visa holder. The spouse and children of a US citizen. The parents of a US citizen or permanent resident residing in a foreign country. The spouse of a particular government employee. The spouse of a foreign national who has been granted asylum. The spouse of a foreign national who has been granted political asylum. The spouse of an individual is the US Government’s priority for needing a visa.

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What are the types of Us Family base visas?

There are several types of immigrant visas that you can apply for, including the following: F-1 Visas - These allow students and researchers to stay in the United States for up to three years. F-2 Visas - These are for employees who want to stay in the United States for a specific time. F-2 visas are only granted to employees in particular jobs, including doctors, lawyers, managers, or school teachers. F-3 Visas - These are for professionals who want to work in the United States. F-3 visas are only granted to professionals. R-1 Visas - This is the type immigrant children and spouses of US citizens can apply for. R-2 Visas - This is the type immigrant parents and siblings of US citizens can apply for. R-3 Visas - This is the type immigrant children of foreign national workers can apply for.

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Because of the numerical limits on these visas, they get a specific amount each year, such as:

•     23,400 people call the F-1 visa each year;
•     79,940 people call the F-2A visa each year;
•     34,260 people get the F-2B visa each year;
•     23,400 people get the F-3 visa each year;
•     Sixty-five thousand people get an F-4 pass each year.

Suppose there are any leftover visas from one of the categories, the category after it gets them. For example, unused F-1 visas go to F-2A visas, and so on.

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What are the Requirements for Family Immigration?

Each of these types of visas has its requirements. The list below goes through them one by one.

For the F-1 visa, the requirements are:

1.     The US citizen must have birth or adoption certificates to prove a relationship with sons/daughters
2.     The US citizen must have a valid US address;
3.     Sons/daughters must have birth or adoption certificates of their minor children to prove relationships. The children must be under 21 years old to qualify.
4.     The sons and daughters must be unmarried.

For the F-2A visa, the requirements are:

•     The LPR must be at least 18 years old;
•     The LPR must have a valid US address;
•     The LPR’s children must be under 21 years old and unmarried;
•     The LPR must have good birth or adoption certificates to prove a relationship with the children.

For the F-2B visa, the requirements are:

•     The LPR must prove the relationship through a valid birth or adoption certificate;
•     The LPR must have a valid US address;
•     The adult child must be over 21 years old and unmarried.

For the F-3 visa, the requirements are:

•     The US citizen must prove a relationship through a valid birth or adoption certificate;
•     The US citizen must have a valid US address;
•     The US citizen’s child must be over 21 years old;
•     The US citizen’s child must prove they are married through a valid marriage certificate;
•     If the US citizen’s child also has minor children, they must prove a relationship through a good birth or adoption certificate.

For the F-4 visa, the requirements are:

•     The US citizen must be at least 21 years old;
•     The US citizen must have a valid US address;
•     The US citizen must prove a relationship with siblings through valid birth or adoption certificates;
•     Siblings with minor children must prove a relationship through valid birth or adoption certificates;
•     Married siblings must prove their relationship through a valid marriage certificate.

All applicants must meet the requirements for their visa. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) could deny your visa if you do not fulfill them.

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How to apply for a US Family base Visa

You can apply for a visa in many ways, including through an embassy or consulate, a US Consulate or Consulate nearest you, or online. Before you start the application process, it’s essential to know the basis for your application. The basis for your application should be based on what you can contribute to the U.S. economy and society and how your presence will affect the population in which you live. You can find out the basis for your application by looking at the back of your immigrant visa application form. You can also call the nearest US embassy or consulate and ask them about the basis for your visa application.

Attend the interview

After processing, the US Embassy will invite the applicant for an interview. The questions will be on the background and the application. In the end, the officials will decide whether to give the visa or not.
Receive NVC packet and travel to the US

If the Embassy approves the visa, the NVC will send another package to the applicant. The applicant must not open this package. At the US port of entry, the border official will open the box and decide whether to let the person in the country or not.

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What are the US Family-Based Immigrant Visa Fees?

There are several fees to pay for family immigration visas. The petitioner and the applicant pay different prices. These fees are:

•     Form I-130 filing fee – $535;
•     Processing fee for the Form DS-260 – $230;
•     Medical exam and vaccination fees;
•     Fees to get and translate all supporting documents;
•     USCIS Immigrant Fee – $220.

How long does it take to process family immigration visas?

Processing delays for family visas might be long since there are numerical restrictions. Depending on when you apply, processing may take some time. It is best to use it sooner since you can receive faster processing.

The time it takes to complete a family-based immigration visa might vary from months to years. In severe circumstances, certain visas might take up to seven or ten years to process. It happens more frequently with F-2B, F-3, and F-4 visas. Because too many candidates are waiting to be processed, they must wait longer.

Final Words

The number of people applying for family-based immigrant visas continues to rise and rise. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has established special immigrant programs to compete with the growing number of applicants. These include the K-1, K-2, and K-3 visas, which let people with limited ties to the U.S. access the country. Keep in mind that it’s not just the people concerned about the number of people coming to the U.S. The government is working to meet the demand. The number of people who must be kept out of the United States has grown faster than the population itself, creating a backlog at the borders. If you are interested in immigrating to the United States, you will need to put in the time and effort to apply for a visa. The forms are complicated, but the process is straightforward.