Parents of U.S. Citizens

To petition for your parents to live in the United States as green card holders, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 21 years old. Permanent residents may not petition to bring parents to live permanently in the United States.

If your parents have entered the US lawfully and are currently living in the US they are eligible for adjustment of status.

If your parents are living abroad at the time you petition, the process begins when the citizen son or daughter submits a petition to the USCIS.

Once the petition is approved, the USCIS will forward the petition to the National Visa Center (NVC). You will be required to provide additional information about your relative(s) who intend to come to the United States, as well as an affidavit of support. After the NVC is satisfied with all the documents and fees you have submitted, the petition will be forwarded to the U.S. Consulate having jurisdiction over your foreign relative’s residence abroad. Thereafter, the Consulate will notify you or your relative about an interview for permanent residence accordingly.

If your parents have entered the U.S. unlawfully/without inspection, the process becomes much more complex. In this case you should consult an experienced immigration attorney before attempting to submit any applications to the government.

To learn more about your options contact our San Francisco law firm to speak with one of our immigration attorneys.