Parents of US Citizen Green Card

Still trying to figure out whether it’s worth it to pursue a green card for your parents? Before we dive into the details of how the get a green card, let’s look at the benefits:

• Legal Employment: With a green card, your parents gain the right to work legally in the U.S. This opens up employment opportunities, enabling them to contribute to the workforce and the economy.
• Social Security and Medicare Eligibility: Green card holders become eligible for Social Security benefits and Medicare after a certain period of residency. This ensures financial security and access to healthcare services for aging parents.
• Educational Opportunities: Green card holders have access to various educational opportunities, including scholarships and financial aid. This benefit can be especially advantageous for parents seeking to enhance their skills or pursue higher education.
• Path to U.S. Citizenship: After five years of permanent residency, green card holders are eligible to apply for U.S. citizenship. This offers parents the opportunity to fully integrate into American society and participate in civic life.

Of course, the most obvious reason that you’ll likely have for helping your parents through the green card process is that it minimizes the distance between you and your family and allows you to see each other more often than if you were living in separate countries. This also becomes more beneficial to your finances, allowing you to save money on plane tickets, travel insurance, and hotel costs.

The two most important stipulations when determining the eligibility of US citizens petitioning for their parents in the green card application process are that you must be over the age of 21 and you must be a fully naturalized or US-born citizen (not a temporary resident or lawful permanent resident).

You may be surprised to learn that nearly all parents of US citizens are eligible to get their immigrant visa cards through this specific process. This includes adoptive parents, step-parents, parents who conceived out of wedlock, and of course, birth parents, whether or not they are still married or not. However, depending on the nature of your relationship to the parent you’re petitioning for, different documents may be required, in addition to the submission of Form I-130 and a copy of your passport or naturalization papers (if you were born outside of the US) to the USCIS.

Green Card Documentation Requirements For Birth Parents

If you’re petitioning for your birth parents (mother, father, or both of whom you’re related to by birth), you’ll be required to provide the following:

• A birth certificate showing both your name and the name of both your parents (or just the name of your mother if she’s the only applicant).
• A copy of your parent’s marriage certificate if your father or both parents are applying for a green card.

Things become slightly more complicated if you’re petitioning for your father and you were born out of wedlock. If this is the case, you’ll also need to prove that your father is actually related to you either through DNA testing, child support checks, residency, or other method.

Green Card Documentation Requirements For Step-Parents

If you’re petitioning for a step-parent to become a lawful permanent resident through the green card process, you’ll need to provide:

• A copy of your birth certificate showing both your name and the name of your birth parents.
• A copy of the marriage certificate between a birth parent and the step-parent applying for a green card which was signed before your 18th birthday.
• Proof that the marriage was legitimate (death certificate, annulment certificate, or divorce certificate).

These pieces of documentation apply to either a stepmother or step-father, in addition to copies of your passport, naturalization papers, and accompanying paperwork.

Green Card Documentation Requirements for Adoptive Parents

If you’re petitioning on behalf of one or both of your adoptive parents, you’ll need to provide the USCIS with the following pieces of documentation:

• Your birth certificate.
• Certificate of adoption.
• A notarized statement that attests that you and your adoptive parents resided together including lists of addresses.

Please note that adult adoptions aren’t recognized by the USCIS for the purpose of applying for a green card. This means that your adoption needs to have taken place before the age of 16 in order for your petition to be accepted.

If your petition is approved by the USCIS, the next step your parents will need to take is to schedule an interview and complete the final stage of the application process. If your parent lives abroad, this will be done at a US embassy or US consulate. If your parent already resides in the US, they will need to schedule their interview with the National Visa Center (NVC). The interview will cover several things including:

• The accuracy of the statements in your paperwork
• Your parents’ required medical examination
• Your parents’ plans for citizenship (if applicable)
• Your parents’ financial status
• Issuing of a filing fee or confirmation that the filing fee is paid

Once the interview is conducted, and there are no remaining issues, your parents’ green cards will be sent by mail.