QUESTION
Can I bring my mother and sister as legal residents to the US to live with us?
Asked on Jul 10th, 2016 on Immigration - Georgia
More details to this question:
I'm a new US citizen living with my husband and son. I would like to bring my widowed mother and sister from Germany as legal residents to the US to live with us. I know that I can apply for my mother to become a resident, however can my mother then apply as a resident to bring my sister to the US? Is it even possible? How long will it take approximately? Is it different because my husband is in the military? Could we apply concurrently or have to wait until my mother gets approved? I know this is tricky but I would appreciate any advice and tips.
1 ANSWER
As a new U.S. citizen, you may petition for your mother to go through "consular processing" steps in the Immediate Relative visa category to become a Permanent Resident; after being a Permanent Resident for five years she will be able to petition for your sister. In the meantime, you may petition for your sister now, but that category has a VERY long waiting list - while it may appear to be a bit shorter, most immigration lawyers estimate that it could take 20 years or longer, and so that is rarely a good immigration strategy. It would be wise for your family to consult with an immigration attorney who, after learning all of the relevant details about your mother and your sister, could advise about eligibilities, options and strategies.
Answered on Aug 08th, 2016 at 4:57 PM