US Immigration Lawyers for Family and Citizenship Services

Before you even apply for a Green Card, you can check the USCIS processing time online – you will need to input the specific form in question, the form category, and the field office or service center. After you apply for a Green Card, you can input your receipt date and use this tool to get an inquiry date, after which you will be able to submit a question about your case.

Green Card processing times are significantly longer for Family Preference categories (F-1, F-2A, F-2B, F-3, F-4) because there are only around 480,000 Green Cards available in these categories and demand far outstrips supply. If you are applying under these categories you will receive a pre-application priority date – the date your petition is received – and you must then check the Department of State’s Visa Bulletin each month, to see if your priority date has become current. Once it does, you can apply for a Green Card.

A US citizen may be able to file their Green Card paperwork for their relative abroad. Generally, they need to be living with the relative they wish to sponsor, and be lawfully present in the country in which they reside. If this is an option open to you, it can significantly reduce the processing times for your Green Card.

You will need information about the sponsor and the person being sponsored for a Green Card, including documents such as passports, marriage certificates, and birth certificates. You will also need to supply tax transcripts for the sponsor.

Green Card applications involve a number of fees. These fees may differ depending on the situation:

• I-130 petition fee: $535 (if inside the US when applying)
• I-485 filing fee: $1,225
• DS-261 fee: $445
• Immigrant Visa fee: $325
• Immigrant fee: $220
• Medical/vaccination fees: these can vary
• Immigration attorney fee. Contact us for a fixed fee, no obligation quote.

While most Green Card applications are approved, some are denied. The most common reasons for Green Card refusal include not being able to evidence the legitimate nature of the relationship between the sponsor and the sponsored relative, a prior criminal history, or prior immigration violations (such as entering the US illegally or overstaying a visa). If you’ve been refused a Green Card, contact us to find out how we can help.

Yes, Green Cards may be revoked at any time if they are found to have been misused. Common reasons for revocation include committing a crime, being found to have committed fraud during the application, or moving to a primary residence outside the United States.