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Eligibility requirements for green cards through family

by | Feb 18, 2020 | Firm News

People come to California for many different reasons. Many are here for a short time and return to their home countries to live permanently. However, many people also move here with the intention of creating a home and staying permanently. There are ways that people can stay in the United States legally, but in order to receive permanent resident status, they will need to obtain a green card.

Ways to get green cards

There are many ways that people can obtain a green card. People may receive one for employment reasons, because they are refugees, because they are victims of certain crimes or abuse, through family members who are already citizens or have green cards themselves and other ways as well. The requirements that people need to meet in order to receive a green card depend on the way they are trying to receive the green card.

The requirements for obtaining a green card through a family member depends on the legal status of the family member and the person’s relationship to that family member. If the family member is a U.S. citizen, then the person must be a spouse, a child, the parent of the family member, a brother or sister (if the U.S. citizen is over the age of 21), a fiancé, or a widow or widower of the U.S. citizen. If family member is a permanent resident, the person seeking a green card must be a spouse, child, or an unmarried son or daughter of the permanent resident only.

Consider starting the process

Many people have family living in California who are either U.S. citizens or are permanent residents who have already obtained green cards. It is important that these families be able to remain together and live as a family. People coming from other countries can ensure that they are able to do this in California by obtaining green cards through the family members currently here. However, simply being eligible does not mean that a person will automatically receive a green card. They must still go through the process.