One of the most common ways for people to get a green card is through a family member. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can help certain family members immigrate to the United States. This is a two-step process. First, the U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident files a family visa petition. Second, the foreign national relative files an application to become a permanent resident. Each step involves different legal and factual issues.

As a national expert on these issues, the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) provides ongoing trainings on the family-based immigration process, answers case-specific questions from practitioners, authors a comprehensive manual, Families & Immigration: A Practical Guide, and advocates locally and federally in support of immigrant families.

Latest in Family-Based

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ILRC Letter to USCIS - Actions Needed During COVID-19 Global Pandemic

04/03/2020
Family-Based
Removal Defense
Policy Advocacy
ILRC sent a request to USCIS headquarters to provide more information and to also take certain actions to deal with the consequences of the closure of USCIS public services and the impact of COVID-19 on the immigrant public. These are concerns raised by the individuals and organizations with whom we partner. We have promised to raise more issues as the emergency situation continues.
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Understanding I-212s for Inadmissibility Related to Prior Removal Orders and the Permanent Bar

03/27/2020
Family-Based
Removal Defense
This advisory seeks to clarify when, where, and how to file an I-212. It also discusses certain special circumstances such as conditional I-212s, nunc pro tunc I-212s, and how a grant to TPS or advance parole may affect the need for an I-212. The advisory addresses strategic concerns such as deciding when to file a motion to reopen versus a conditional I-212, and assessing the risks of triggering...
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Overview of Public Charge and Benefits (March 2020)

03/26/2020
Public Charge
Family-Based
This advisory provides a brief overview of public charge under the new rules, including public charge law generally, who is impacted, and what benefits are considered. Adjustment of status applications filed before February 24, 2020 will be adjudicated under policies in effect before the new DHS rule. Adjustment of status applications filed on or after February 24, 2020 will be adjudicated under...
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Family-Based Petitions for LGBTQ Couples: Considerations When Documenting a Bona Fide Marriage

01/22/2020
LGBT
Family-Based
Since 2015, the process of immigrating to the United States as the spouse of a USC or an LPR should not be any different for an LGBTQ couple than any other couple. However, advocates working with LGBTQ couples may need to consider a variety of factors when documenting and providing representation for an LGBTQ marriage-based petition. For example, is the couple currently living a jurisdiction...

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