Today I'm going to give you the basics about what forms you need to fill out and how these forms work. And then we'll dive in a little deeper and I'll tell you about some other forms that you need to look at for your application.
You need to be eligible
In general, when you want to apply for a green card, you need to have a basis for your case. You need to have a reason why you are eligible to get that green card. The typical reasons are through family members or through employment.
And there are two basic forms that you should take a look at. Family cases typically go through a form called I130, K-1 fiancé visas go through I129F, and employment-based green cards typically go through a form called the I140. So you'll need I130 for family members and I140 for employment-based cases.
You need the right forms
Now after you've figured out the basics of your case and you have the form issue settled, the next thing to look at is the green card application. Everybody uses the same form, which is I485. That is the green card application form. But do not just submit those two forms to immigration. You need to submit more.
You also need additional forms
There are other forms that also go with a family-based green card package. That’s what we'll focus on today. So, for the family-based green card package, if you are filing for your spouse you need to fill in form I130A. Not only I130, but also I130A. For the green card side of the case, you also want to ask for temporary benefits. So, take a look at the forms I131 plus I765. I always submit those forms to immigration for my clients.
Don't forget the financial portion of your case
And the last thing for a family-based immigration case is the financial portion of your case. This is where we can show that the person being sponsored is going to be able to live in the United States and be taken care of financially. That form is called I864. So, as you can see, it starts out with two basic forms, but then you need more as part of your application. Don’t just file those two forms. If you do, you haven't done enough. I hope this information is helpful, and please reach out to us if you have any questions.