Immigration services
Family Immigration Lawyer in Houston, TX
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You may want to bring your spouse, child, parent, brother or sister to the United States. A family immigration lawyer in Houston can explain who can sponsor a relative and what the process requires.
At Herrera Law Firm in west Houston, we help families in English and Spanish. Attorney Hector Herrera and his team have assisted thousands of immigrants in their efforts to live and work in the United States.
What it means to be a lawful permanent resident
A lawful permanent resident (LPR) is a foreign national who has been granted the benefit of living and working in the United States permanently. An LPR can also travel in and out of the country. An LPR is also called a green card holder.
We can help if you would like to become an LPR and you have family who is a U.S. citizen. Your relative should file a petition to sponsor you.
The sponsor files this immigrant visa petition, and USCIS must approve it. The petition must come with proof of a valid relationship between the U.S. citizen or LPR and the relative being sponsored for permanent residence.
Relatives a family immigration lawyer in Houston can help you sponsor
A family-based immigration attorney at our firm can help with immigration, citizenship and related legal matters that involve:
- Spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens and permanent residents
- Married and unmarried sons and daughters (21 years of age or older) of U.S. citizens and permanent residents
- Parents of U.S. citizens
- Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens
- A fiancé visa for the fiancé of a U.S. citizen
A case for a spouse is often called a marriage green card. We also help clients obtain U.S. citizenship, also known as naturalization, so that they can sponsor family members.
Yearly visa limits and waiting periods
The United States sets a specific limit on how many family immigration visas it grants each year. Most of these visas are assigned to the spouses and minor children of LPRs.
Far more people want these visas than there are visas available. This results in a waiting period for applicants. The visas are issued in chronological order, based on the timing of the visa application. Some categories with a large number of approved petitions have waiting periods of multiple years.
The family petition and the Affidavit of Support
The first step toward a family-based immigration visa is to apply for a Petition for Alien Relative. A U.S. citizen sponsor must be at least 21 years old to petition for a sibling or a parent. There is no minimum age for other types of family-based immigrants.
An Affidavit of Support is necessary for any immigrant visa for spouses and relatives of U.S. sponsors. A U.S. citizen or LPR must be at least 18 years old and a U.S. resident before signing it. Either way, the U.S. sponsor has to maintain a primary residence in the country.
Documents and other requirements for an immigrant visa
There are several other requirements, along with processing documents and the payment of fees. They include:
- Civil documents, such as a birth certificate, a marriage certificate (if applicable), military records, police records and others
- Complete medical examination forms from an approved physician, with complete records of required vaccinations
- An Affidavit of Support from a U.S. sponsor that shows sufficient financial support
- Two 2×2 photographs of each person
The applicant must also have a valid passport that is at least 60 days from expiration.
Once the National Visa Center determines that all necessary documentation has been filed, the applicant has a thorough interview at a U.S. embassy.
How long a family immigrant visa takes
There is no set time frame for a visa to be issued, even after you have started the application process. Family Preference visas can take a significant amount of time because only a small number of visas are available. Insufficient or faulty documents and evidence can delay your case even longer.
Rules to follow while the case is pending
In general, a person who is waiting for a USCIS decision cannot get a permit to work in the United States or come to visit. Instead, the family members should stay in their home countries until the visa application is fully processed.
There can be a few exceptions to these rules. Never try to work around the process without advice from an experienced immigration lawyer. Failure to follow these rules can put your chance of getting the immigrant visa at risk.
It is also wise not to make travel plans, sell property or give up a job until the process ends.
Problems that can make an applicant ineligible
Applicants should know that specific decisions could make them ineligible for a visa. For instance, someone who was convicted of overstaying a previous visa, submitting fraudulent documents or trafficking drugs may not be able to get a waiver.
After the immigrant visa is issued
After the process ends, an immigrant visa is typically valid for 6 months. The visa allows a foreign national to come to the United States, but it does not promise entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials have the right to allow or deny admission. Applicants should also review the information about admission and entry requirements.
How Herrera Law Firm helps with family immigration in Houston
We understand the family immigration process from start to finish. Attorney Hector Herrera can anticipate many problems and deal with them in advance. This helps our clients avoid certain delays.
- Every case starts with a one-hour consultation. We learn your goal, explore your options and carry out the plan together.
- Hablamos Español.
- Our attorneys include Matilda Rhoda Matiru, who is Board Certified in Immigration & Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
- We are members of the State Bar of Texas and the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
For more information, call us at (832) 533-2228.
Questions about family immigration in Houston
Who can sponsor a family member for a green card?
A U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident can sponsor a relative by filing a petition with proof of a valid relationship. A U.S. citizen must be at least 21 years old to petition for a parent or a sibling.
How long does a family immigration case take?
There is no set time frame. Some categories with a large number of approved petitions have waiting periods of multiple years.
What documents do we need for a family immigrant visa?
You need civil documents, medical examination forms, an Affidavit of Support, two 2×2 photographs and a valid passport.
Can you help if I live outside Houston?
Yes. Our clients come from Houston, Katy, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, Pearland, Cypress and nearby cities. Immigration law is federal, so we also represent clients in other states. Contact us to schedule a consultation.
Ready to take the first step?
Book your one-hour consultation and leave with a clear plan for your case.