Gerard Gold

Folks,

I have planned for awhile to sponsor my mother and brothers (a doctor, a lawyer, a
sales AGM, and journalist) for either a green card or American citizenship. I haven't
gotten around to it yet, but since I became a citizen last year, I want to get this
taken care of. I would appreciate any useful advice about how to initiate this, and
what the process involves in terms of red tape, duration, and $$, and recommendations
for competent and reasonably priced immigration attornies in the Cupertino/San Jose
area in California.

Thanks & best regards, Gerard Gold [email protected]

Sylvia Ottemoeller

Gerard Gold wrote:

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You would file Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, on behalf of each person.
Your mother could immigrate immediately as she is classified as an immediate
relative; "immediately" translates into perhaps 12 to 18 months bureaucratic
processing time. However, it will take over 11 years for each of your brothers to
immigrate as a relative, because they fall into the category Family 4, which has a
long wait for the quota. See http://travel.state.gov/visa;familybased.html,
http://travel.state.gov/visa_bulletin.html,
http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/se...ncy/family.htm,
http://www.ins.usdoj.gov/graphics/fo...orms/i-130.htm.

If any of your brother wants to immigrate to the U.S. sooner that that, he might
consider employment-based immigration.

and what the process involves in terms of
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You would file Form I-130 with the INS California Service Center, and it would be
approved. See http://www.shusterman.com/csc.html, "I-130 (IR) Other" for your mother
and "I-130 Pref. Other" for your brothers. When a visa is available, a consular
immigrant visa interview will be scheduled in their home country. Each person will
appear at an interview, obtain an immigrant visa if all goes well, and enter the U.S.
as a permanent resident. In the meantime, it will be difficult for each person to
obtain any kind of temporary visa (other than H-1B or L-1 or perhaps O-1) because
temporary intent must be shown at the time of application.

I would imagine it would cost about $1500 per person for the process, though I don't
know what attorneys are charging in that area. Here is a referral: Margaret Ann
Redmond, 95 S Market St #318, San Jose, CA 95113 Phone: (408)977-7730.