How Do I Bring My Parents to Live in the
United States?
How Do I Bring My Parents to
Live in the United States?
This information is for United States (U.S.)
citizens who wish to bring their parents to live permanently in the
U.S. Note: Lawful permanent residents may not petition to bring their parents
to live permanently in the U.S.
Overview
of Immigration Process
A legal immigrant is a foreign national who has been
granted the privilege of living and working permanently in the United States.
There is a two-step process for your parent to become a legal immigrant. First,
the USCIS must approve an immigrant visa petition that you file for your
parent. Second, if your parent is outside the United States, your parent will be notified to
go to the local U.S.
consulate to complete the processing for an immigrant visa. If your
parent is legally inside the U.S.,
he or she may apply to adjust his or her status to that of a lawful permanent
resident using the Form I-485.
What
Does the Law Say?
The Immigration and Nationality Act is the law that governs the admission of
all immigrants to the United
States. For the part of the law concerning
immigrant visas for parents, please see INA § 201 and INA § 204. The specific
eligibility requirements and procedures for applying for immigrant visas and
permanent residence are included in the Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] at 8
CFR § 204.1, 8 CFR § 204.2 and 8 CFR § 245.
Who is
Eligible to Sponsor a Parent?
If you are a U.S. citizen
and at least 21 years old, you are
eligible to petition to bring your parents to live and work
permanently in the United
States.
If you are a lawful permanent
resident, you are not eligible
to petition to bring your parents to live and work permanently in the United States.
How Do
I File the Petition?
To find out how you can petition for your parent to live in the United States
permanently, please refer to the Petitioning Procedures, which will help you
identify what steps you need to take.
How
Can I Check the Status of My Visa Petition?
To check the status of your visa petition, you will need to contact the USCIS
office that received it. Full instructions can be found at Finding
the Status of Your Case.
Can
Anyone Help Me?
If advice is needed, you may contact the USCIS District Office near your home
for a list of community-based, non-profit organizations that may be able to
help you in applying for an immigration benefit. In addition, please see our
web page that provides information on obtaining free legal advice.
Frequently
Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
Do you want further information? See our Frequently Asked
Questions on immigration.
Information
for Your Alien Relative
For more information on adjusting to permanent resident status, your parent
should refer to How Do I Become a Lawful Permanent Resident While in the United States?