The Power of a Petition from a U.S. Citizen Family Member

U.S. citizens have the power to submit immigration petitions for their family members. The petition says to U.S. immigration officials that the U.S. citizen has a valid relationship with a family member, and that the U.S. citizen would like for U.S. immigration officials to recognize the relationship so that the family member can - sometimes immediately and sometimes after many years - apply for an immigration benefit. Importantly, the petition itself does not give any immigration benefit to the family member, it only allows the family member - if the petition is approved - to seek an immigration benefit through an additional legal process.

U.S. citizens can file petitions for:

• A fiance or spouse

• A child or stephchild who is a minor

• An adult child (married or unmarried)

• A parent

• A sibling

• Note that it is not possible to petition for grandparents, grandchildren, aunts, uncles, or cousins

It can take several months or several years for a petition to be adjudicated. Once approved, a petition does not expire (though depending on the case, some work may need to be done to keep a petition active). So, even if a U.S. citizen isn’t sure whether or when a relative will want to come to the United States, submitting a petition is a powerful way to give a family member the opportunity to immigrate at a later date.