Maison Law Immigration Lawyers guides people through the immigration process in Bakersfield. Whether it’s a Form I-130 or some other way, sponsoring a family member or loved one can be an emotional and challenging decision. Whether you’re bringing someone to California for their own safety or just to reunite with your family, the process can seem overwhelming. That’s where we can step in and help. Contact us today for a consultation and let us make the sponsorship process easier for you.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
You don’t technically need a lawyer to sponsor a family member and bring them to the United States. That said, the sponsorship process and requirements can certainly be confusing and hard to deal with if you don’t have the right guidance.
Our team of experienced immigration lawyers can help you by:
- Explaining how the process works
- Helping you gather documentation for the application
- Guiding you through the application
- Making sure you and your family member meet the requirements
More than anything, the sponsorship process requires patience. On top of meeting the requirements and then making your way through the application, there’s only so much you can do. By working with our team, you can rest easy knowing things are taken care of.
How Long Does Family Sponsorship Take?
When your family member lives outside the United States, the immigration process as a whole considers them a “beneficiary.” Under these conditions, sponsoring them to come to the country and live with you takes a certain amount of time. Just how long it takes, though, depends on several different factors:
- Type of relationship – Your immediate relatives (spouses, parents, and unmarried children under 21) usually have shorter wait times since they aren’t subject to visa quotas. However, if your family member is your sibling or something not as immediate, they could face longer waits due to annual visa limits.
- Country of origin – Applicants from countries with high demand–Mexico, the Philippines, or India, for example–often experience longer backlogs. Checking the Visa Bulletin can help track progress for these cases.
- Visas – Immediate relatives have visas readily available, while family preference categories are limited by annual caps, adding to the wait. On top of that, processing for immigrant visas or temporary nonimmigrant visas might also affect the timeline.
- Processing times – USCIS petitions usually take 7-12 months, but delays can occur due to missing documents, RFEs, or backlogs at the National Visa Center (NVC) or U.S. embassies handling consular interviews.
Obviously, how long the process takes for you is going to depend on your particular situation–and that of your family member looking to come to the U.S. While our team can help you, there’s also certain things you can do that could possibly speed up the process.
What Can You Do to Speed Up the Process?
The most difficult part of the sponsorship process is the wait–but that doesn’t mean you don’t have some influence over how quickly it goes. Remember, it’s ultimately an application process, so the more updated information you can give at the start, the quicker everything else could go. Specifically, though, taking the following steps usually speeds up the process:
- Fill out your forms correctly – Make sure the I-130 or any other application and all supporting documents are complete and accurate. Double-check for mistakes, missing details, or forgotten signatures to avoid delays.
- Include all the required documents – Send everything USCIS needs, like birth certificates, marriage certificates, proof of U.S. status, and financial records. Keep it well-organized to make it easier to process.
- Respond quickly – If USCIS asks for more information or documents, reply as soon as possible with everything they need to keep your case moving.
- Track your case – Check your case status on the USCIS website regularly. This keeps you updated and ready to take action if anything changes.
- Watch for visa bulletins – If your family member falls under a preference category, check the Visa Bulletin each month to see when their visa is available.
- Prepare for the consular interview – Help your family member get ready for their consular interview. Make sure they have all the required documents, complete their medical exams, and know what to expect.
Taking these steps can reduce processing times and make the sponsorship process as smooth as possible, helping you reunite with your family sooner. Aside from that, our experienced lawyers can identify potential issues, make sure your forms are completed correctly, and provide guidance to avoid delays or denials.
Guidance and Support From Maison Law Immigration Lawyers
At Maison Law Immigration Lawyers, we make sponsorship easier by helping you complete all the necessary paperwork correctly and guiding you through the process. Our goal is to help you bring your family member to the U.S. as quickly as possible. Contact our team today for a consultation to learn more about your family’s options.
