I’m pleased to welcome back to Immigration Law for Tech Startups my law partner, Anita Koumriqian, who is an expert in individual and family immigration law. Today we’ll discuss how to bring your parents or siblings to the U.S.

 

“I enjoy the family reunification green cards, especially when kids are petitioning for their parents,” says Anita. “People immigrate to the U.S., become successful, and then they are able to say to their parents, ‘Come to the U.S., let me take care of you when you retire.’ For me, that’s the dream.”

 

Most U.S. consulates remain closed due to COVID-19. The few consular offices that are open are only operating at 20 to 30 percent capacity. Moreover, a moratorium on green cards issued abroad remains in place until the end of the year.

 

Still, this should not stop you from starting the process of sponsoring your parents or siblings for a green card, particularly since it may take time to obtain the evidence and documents for your petition and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) can take more than a year to adjudicate a case.

 

Immigration is never easy, but it’s always possible!

 

Please share this episode with anyone who can benefit from it. Reach out to us if we can help you determine your immigration options whether you’re in the U.S. or abroad.

 

In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Requirements and documentation needed for sponsoring a biological parent, an adoptive parent, and a stepparent
• Requirements and documentation needed if you were born out of wedlock
• Requirements and documentation needed for sponsoring a sibling, half-sibling, adoptive sibling and step-sibling
• The U.S. Department of State reciprocity table and what it does
• Some of the unique ways to document the birth of your parents or siblings when a birth certificate cannot be found
• When you should consult an immigration lawyer
• Instances in which USCIS may request a DNA test
• The three-part process of sponsoring a parent or sibling for a green card
• Processing times and expected wait times
• Why it typically takes much longer for siblings to get a green card than parents
• What parents that get green cards need to know about long trips to their home country

 

Don’t miss my upcoming conversations with top Silicon Valley venture capitalists, startup founders, professors, futurists, and thought leaders on Immigration Law for Tech Startups. Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or whatever your favorite platform is. As always, we welcome your rating and review of this podcast.

Resources:

U.S. Department of State’s Reciprocity Table

 

Immigration Law for Tech Startups:

• Episode 35: Becoming a U.S. Citizen: Naturalization and Citizenship
• Episode 28: All About Priority Dates
• Episode 22: Navigating the NVC

 

Alcorn Immigration Law’s services page on:

• Family Green Cards
• Citizenship Through Naturalization

 

Register for Alcorn’s Extraordinary Ability Bootcamp to learn the best practices for securing the O-1A visa, EB-1A green card, or the EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) green card—the top options for startup founders. Use promotion code ILTS for 20% off the enrollment fee.

 

Get Alcorn’s Immigration Law for Tech Startups eBook

 

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EPISODE CREDITS:

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Danny Ozment.

He helps thought leaders, influencers, executives, HR professionals, recruiters, lawyers, realtors, bloggers, coaches, and authors create, launch, and produce podcasts that grow their business and impact the world.

Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com