If you’re going through the immigration process in California, you already know how stressful and challenging it is. This is even more true if you’re filing a family petition to bring one of your family members here. But for many families, the hardest part is the wait. Processing times, delays, and more requests for documentation all add to the timeline. Our team at Maison Law Immigration Lawyers can answer your questions and help you. Set up a consultation today.
How Long Do Family Petitions Usually Take?
Unfortunately, family petitions don’t all move in the same way. Any family petition is going to vary in terms of how long they take, because each one is decided on a case-by-case basis. But generally speaking, a family petition is likely going to take months to years, depending on the circumstances:
- If you’re currently a U.S. citizen that’s petitioning for:
- Immediate relatives, the wait time is usually 6 to 12 months.
- Adult children take longer, usually 5-10 years depending on whether they’re married and what country they’re in.
- Siblings take the longest because USCIS puts strict limits on those petitions, meaning the wait could take around 10-20 years.
- Immediate relatives, the wait time is usually 6 to 12 months.
- If you’re a green card holder, family petitions can take longer:
- For a spouse or child under 21, it can take 2-5 years from start to finish.
- For an unmarried adult child, it can take 5-8 years.
Again, these aren’t hard and fast timelines. Every situation is different. Some wait times are shorter, while others are longer. The key is being patient, and knowing how the process works and what factors are in play.
What Impacts How Long My Family Petition Might Take?
There’s not really a one-size-fits-all answer here either. That said, there are a few markers for figuring out how long yours might take:
- The type of relationship. Clearly, some relationships are easier to document than others. You can more easily show a marriage certificate for your spouse or birth certificate for your child. When you start moving down the chain to an unmarried child to a sibling, documentation becomes more difficult.
- USCIS backlogs. Waiting times also depend on the USCIS processing center that handles it. Certain centers have more manpower to handle backlogs than others.
- Where your family member is. Location is also important. Certain foreign countries have more applicants than others. Couple that with overall immigration policy, and you can see why it might take longer if your family member is in a certain country or region.
- How you filed your petition. Of course, the quality of your application also matters. Not having the right documents or mistakes can add to processing times. Add in past immigration issues—like overstays or prior removal orders—can mean a much longer wait.
There’s so much that goes into a family petition that wait times might catch you and your family by surprise. That’s why getting help early can be hugely beneficial. Our team at Maison Law Immigration Lawyers understand the process and can make sure that your family petition application is handled in the right way. Set up a one-on-one consultation today to talk through your options.
