On Behalf of Palacios Law Group
Living and working in New York state is a dream that many people share. However, United States citizens and permanent residents might find that it can be a lonely experience without any family around. If a person’s family are foreign born, helping them come to the United States can assist in addressing that problem. This can be accomplished through family immigration.
A citizen can petition for his or her family members, but there are restrictions. For example, petitioning on behalf of a cousin or an uncle is not possible. A citizen can only petition for certain family members, such as spouses, children younger than 21 and parents, and different family members are also ranked by priority. Green card holders may also petition for family members, but are restricted to spouses, children younger than 21 and unmarried children older than 21. These options are only for family members who are not currently in the country or who have entered illegally.
Citizens and permanent residents have fewer options when it comes to petitioning for family members who are immigrants who entered or are in the country illegally, but it is not impossible. A family member who would otherwise be eligible for family immigration can choose to willingly leave the country and wait to apply for a specific period of time. Another option available to those who have been in the country for 10 years is to get a cancellation of removal. However, to have an order of removal cancelled, a person has to show that he or she would experience extreme and exceptional hardship if removed.
Prioritizing family is very important to many people in New York, but it is not always easy when families are separated by borders. Family immigration provides a solution that can help bring loved ones back together. It is important for citizens and permanent residents who are petitioning for these loved ones to understand the proper application process, because otherwise there could be delays in the process.