Family-based Petitions

These are immigrant visas based on a petition filed
by a relative US citizen.

Immediate Relatives

This category is restricted to spouses of U.S. citizens, sons under 21 years of age (including adoptive), and parents (father or mother) of a U.S. citizen older than 21 years.  These visas are not subject to a numerical limit within the maximum quota of visas approved for each year according to the law (480,000.00) and therefore could lead (prior compliance with the requirements established by law) to obtain permanent residency without the need of that may take the waiting period required for other categories of family members.

Family Preference Immigrant Visas (Limited)

These visa types are for specific, more distant, family relationships with a U.S. citizen and some specified relationships with a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR). There are fiscal year numerical limitations on family preference immigrants, shown at the end of each category. The family preference categories are:

  • First Preference (F1): Unmarried sons and daughters above 21 years old of U.S. citizens

  • Family Second Preference (F2): Spouses, minor children, and unmarried sons and daughters (age 21 and over) of LPRs. At least seventy-seven percent of all visas available for this category will go to the spouses and children; the remainder is allocated to unmarried sons and daughters. (114,200)

  • Family Third Preference (F3): Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, and their spouses and minor children. (23,400)

  • Family Fourth Preference (F4): Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens, and their spouses and minor children, provided the U.S. citizens are at least 21 years of age.

Limitations and approval process
Whenever the number of qualified applicants for a category exceeds the available immigrant visas, there will be an immigration wait. In this situation, the available immigrant visas will be issued in the chronological order in which the petitions were filed using their priority date. The filing date of a petition becomes what is called the applicant’s priority date. Immigrant visas cannot be issued until an applicant’s priority date is reached. In certain categories with many approved petitions compared to available visas, there may be a waiting period of several years, or more, before a priority date is reached.

News and Updates
Check the Visa Bulletin (with the Department of State publishes every month to establish whether the priority date has been reached).

Experience, Professionalism and Vocation Helping Clients

Emigra Legal is committed to the principles of justice, personalized attention, honesty, transparency, and advocacy in the best defense of our clients' interests.

Joshua Trainer
Joshua Trainer
2023-02-05
Couldn't recommend Alma Chacon more! Her work ethic, persistence, and integrity are 2nd to none. Alwayas available to take our calls. She even managed to get my girlfriends employment permit in just one week, even with us being in another state.
Liliana Ciasca
Liliana Ciasca
2023-01-20
Atención profesional, eficiente y honesta. Altamente recomendable.
Andrés Rengifo
Andrés Rengifo
2022-11-29
Alma fue un gran aliado en el proceso migratorio de mi familia. Desde un principio nos guío al momento de evaluar nuestras opciones de forma clara y con mucha paciencia para que pudiéramos entender el complicado proceso migratorio. Si necesitaramos nuevamente servicios legales migratorios estoy seguro volveríamos a trabajar con Alma.
Oswaldo Toro
Oswaldo Toro
2022-11-01
If you need a Immigration Lawyer Alma is the right choice , she has the knowledge and humanity also she will tell you the true no that you want to hear .. price very reasonable full professional Highly recommend
Max Biella
Max Biella
2022-10-28
I highly recommend Alma Chacon! On both the corporate and personal immigration needs, Alma has always obtained positive results for us. Honesty, integrity and professionalism are just only of the many qualities Alma Chacon has!
Carolina Arango
Carolina Arango
2022-10-20
Alma is an excellent person and professional, she and her team did a great job with my case, she is very diligent and goes behind and beyond so you can feel accountability and security.
Kathy Yip
Kathy Yip
2022-09-30
Excellent service. Very professional and helpful. My application got approved almost immediately. Highly recommend.
Carlos Chavez
Carlos Chavez
2022-09-13
Muy buen servicio. Te orienta y explica muy bien tus opciones, y te contestan rápido. Mis trámites, de mi familia y de amigos que han trabajado con ella han sido exitosos.
Dulce Morin
Dulce Morin
2022-08-31
La Dra. Alma Chacon es una excelente profesional, es muy comprometida, rápida y audaz. La contacté para un problema que tenía con los documentos de mi hija y en una semana me lo solventó! Gracias Alma por ayudarnos en este proceso.
Andreina Salazar
Andreina Salazar
2022-08-01
Excellent Inmigration Lawyer!!!.... Alma help me to get my citizenship the process was very quick and she made all very simple...I'll recomend her for any of your immigration requests...she is the best!!!!
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