How Can I Sponsor My Parents for a Green Card?

Anyone who has successfully immigrated to the United States might, at one point, decide they want to sponsor their parents to come and live with them. And as long as they meet the requirements, they should be able to do so by taking the case to immigration.

4 Important Tips for Sponsoring Parents for a Green Card

Those interested in sponsoring their parents for a green card should be aware of the process and be armed with these important tips.

The Sponsor Must Have U.S. Citizenship

Only U.S. citizens are allowed to become sponsors for a U.S. green card. Green card holders or permanent residents are not qualified.

The Parties Must Understand the Permanent Resident Status

Before filing an application for a U.S. green card, the parties need to understand what getting one entails. The legal name for a green card document is “lawful permanent resident.” That means that the holder needs to permanently reside in the U.S., i.e. most of their time should be spent in the country.

There Must Be Documents That Show Relationship

Along with the required forms, the U.S. citizen sponsor, called the petitioner, should be able to prove their relationship with their parents. This can be done by submitting a birth certificate, which should contain the name of the petitioner as well as both their parents. The parents’ marriage certificate should be included in the application as well.

However, there can be instances when the birth certificate is unavailable or otherwise contains missing information. Should that be the case, an affidavit and pieces of secondary evidence can be submitted.

An immigration lawyer may be able to help the petitioner get a new birth certificate from their country of birth or prove their relationship with their parents through a DNA test.

Correct Information Should Be Provided on the Forms

Every bit of information provided on the immigration form should be correct and truthful. More importantly, they should coincide with the previous immigration case filed by the petitioner. Immigration will compare the forms and ensure that details such as the parents’ names, dates of birth, addresses, etc. listed in both forms match.