Family Based Immigration

Lawful permanent residents and U.S. citizens may sponsor or petition family members to become lawful permanent residents of the United States.

Basic Requirements for Petition

U.S. Citizens may petition for their immediate relatives including parents, spouses, and their children who are under 21 years old and single. The advantage of being classified as an immediate relative is that once the petition is approved the immigrant visa is immediately available.

U.S. citizens may also petition for the following family members: sons and daughters who are over twenty one years old married or single and brothers and sisters (if the citizen is over 21 years old).

Permanent Residents may petition for the following relatives: spouses, children under 21 years old and unmarried sons and daughters over 21 years of age.

Basic Requirements for Permanent Resident Application in the United States (Green Card)

1. Lawful admission to the United States (inspected and admitted or paroled). Exceptions apply for individuals whose petition was filed prior to April 30, 2001.
2. Admissible to the United States (grounds of inadmissibility are available at INA section 212
   • Health related grounds
   • Criminal related grounds
   • Immigration violations
   • Security related grounds
   If you fall within one of the grounds of inadmissibility, you may be eligible for a waiver or you may qualify under an exception.
3. Maintain lawful status. Exceptions apply to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and applicants who are the beneficiary of a petition filed on or before April 30, 2001.
4. No unauthorized employment. Exceptions apply to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and applicants who are the beneficiary of a petition filed on or before April 30, 2001.
5. Immigrant visa must be immediately available. In other words, the priority date must be current. Petitions filed by immediate relatives have a current priority date and the immigrant visa is immediately available. Otherwise, you must determine whether your visa has a current priority date by checking the Visa Bulletin provided by the Department of State. Click here for a link to the Visa Bulletin.

If the family member is outside of the United States or in certain cases in which the family member must depart the United States to immigrate, the application is completed at a U.S. consulate and the family member receives an immigrant visa at the successful completion of his or her interview. We have successfully handled cases involving international processing including: Mexico, Brazil, Peru, China, Philippines, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom.

Our Services

We at the Law Office of Blake Nordahl can process any green card application or petition.

We will carefully review your case and make recommendations on the most appropriate process for you and your family.

We will prepare your application promptly for submission to the USCIS and ensure that the application is complete to avoid unnecessary delays in the processing of your case.

We will work closely with you and assist in preparing documents and letters as required.

We will prepare you for your immigration interview.

If you are applying for permanent residence in the United States we will attend your adjustment of status interview with you as your attorney. If the interview process is occurring outside the United States we will prepare you for the interview. if the interview is in California Blake Nordahl may attend the interview appointment - if the interview takes place outside of California we will assist you in finding an attorney to appear with you as necessary.