Immigration 101: Family Sponsored Green Card (I-485)

Obtaining a green card through family is difficult and can be complex. There are numerous issues that come into play on obtaining a green card (I-485) through family.  What relationships qualify for a family green card?  I am a U.S. citizen, can I file for my cousin in Russia?  For my uncle, or brother?  These questions are answered in this introductory article on obtaining a green card through family.

U.S. Consulate in Chennai, India No Longer Processing Immigrant Visas (IVs)

Effective January 1, 2012, the US Consulate General in Chennai will no longer process Immigrant Visa petitions. The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and U.S. Consulate in Mumbai will become the only centers in India that will accept Immigrant Visas. The Immigrant Visa, i.e., green card, allows an individual to live and work in the United States on a permanent basis, as well as provides the immigrant the opportunity to work towards U.S. citizenship. Examples of Immigrant Visa based petitions are family based petitions of parents, children and siblings. These petitions also include the K-1 Fiancée visa and the employer category, where one’s employer can petition for the individual and their dependents to immigrate to the United States through the PERM process.

USCIS Announces Changes to Filing Location for Stand-Alone I-130s

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) changed the filing locations for Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Effective Jan. 1, 2012, domestic petitioners will mail their standalone Form I-130 applications to either the Chicago Lockbox or the Phoenix Lockbox, depending on where they reside in the United States. The new filing locations will be updated with the corresponding addresses on Jan. 1 on the Form I-130 Direct Filing Locations page. This effort will balance workloads between the two locations and provide more efficient and effective processing of Form I-130.

There will be no change in filing locations when submitting concurrently filed Form I-130 with Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. Individuals filing these forms together will continue to mail them to the Chicago Lockbox facility.

If you have a question regarding a family-sponsored green card, contact immigration lawyer Matthew R. Porter.