To maintain a stable environment for your child, you may have thought it to be in their best interest to stay with a trusted parent or legal guardian in your home country while you set out to establish a new life for their future in the United States. Once you have obtained a secure employment opportunity and settled at a permanent residence, you may think it is the most ideal time to transition your child’s life here with you. Well, please follow along to find out how to reunite with your child in the U.S. and how a proficient Baltimore County, Maryland, green cards lawyer at Sheri Hoidra Law Office, LLC, can help turn this dream into a reality.
Is it possible to reunite with my child in the United States?
Simply put, you may be eligible to petition the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to allow your child to reunite with you in the country. This may be accomplished through Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. However, this eligibility may depend on your legal status in the U.S., along with your child’s personal characteristics. For example, as a U.S. citizen, you may apply for your unmarried child under the age of 21, your unmarried son or daughter older than 21, or your married son or daughter of any age. But if you are only a green card holder in the country, your son or daughter cannot be married.
Does my child need to attend a visa interview?
Once your filed Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, is approved by the USCIS, they may send your child’s immigration case to the National Visa Center. The natural next step after this is for there to be a visa interview scheduled at the United States consulate office in their home country. However, if your child is under the age of 14, they may not be expected to attend this interview. Instead, their parent or legal guardian may attend on their behalf. If they are between the ages of 14 and 17, you may help them apply for an interview waiver. Otherwise, they may be expected to show up to this interview, accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
In any event, their parent or legal guardian should come with their original birth certificate and official photo identification to confirm their eligible relationship with your child. They should also carry the following necessary documentation on your child’s behalf:
- Your child’s birth certificate.
- Your child’s valid foreign travel passport.
- Your child’s photo, taken within the past six months.
- Your child’s Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application, confirmation.
- Your child’s mandatory filing fee for their immigration application.
It is important to equip yourself, your child, and your child’s other parent or legal guardian for every step of this immigration process. So, if you are ready to make matters right, please retain the services of a talented Baltimore County, Maryland immigration lawyer as soon as you can. We at Sheri Hoidra Law Office, LLC look forward to receiving your outreach.