Tallahassee, FL asked in Immigration Law for Florida

Q: Can I petition my parents with my 19 year old sister as a minor for green cards.

I just became a citizen and I want to bring my parents at the same time with my youngest sister. Is this possible since my sister is under 21.

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4 Lawyer Answers
Linda Liang
Linda Liang
Answered
  • Immigration Law Lawyer
  • Boca Raton, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: You need to petition for your parents and your sibling separately. Or your parents may petition for her when they become Permanent resident.

Stephen Arnold Black
Stephen Arnold Black
Answered
  • Immigration Law Lawyer
  • Orlando, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: If you are over 21 you can sponsor your parents as your immediate relatives. Your sister will take more time because she isn’t an immediate relative for immigration purposes.

Kevin D. Slattery
Kevin D. Slattery
Answered
  • Immigration Law Lawyer
  • Tampa, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: As others have responded, your sister cannot immigrate through any petitions you may file for your parents. She must be the beneficiary of her own petition, filed by either you or by your parents after they immigrate. Unfortunately, there are backlogs in both categories. Consider speaking with a competent immigration attorney to explore other short-term possibilities for your sister. Does she, for example, have aspirations of attending college here in the United States? Perhaps an F-1 student visa may be in order, so long as her immediate intent is only to attend school.

Kevin D. Slattery
Kevin D. Slattery
Answered
  • Immigration Law Lawyer
  • Tampa, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: To clarify one point on my earlier response, the category for minor, unmarried children of U.S. legal permanent residents (F2A) is currently not backlogged, but by the time your parents immigrate and are able to file for your sister - and assuming she is then still under 21 -, the category may be oversubscribed and a backlog may then exist. Such has been the trend in the past.

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