New Immigration Benefits

To be eligible for V status, the spouse or unmarried child (under 21 years of age) of a LPR must: (1) be the beneficiary of a Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) filed with the INS by the LPR spouse or parent on or before December 21, 2000; and (2) have been waiting for at least three years since the Form I-130 was filed for their immigrant (“Green Card”) status – either because a visa number (priority date) has not yet become available or because INS has not yet adjudicated the Form I-130 or the Form I-485 (Application for Adjustment to Permanent Residence).  The unmarried child (under 21 years of age) of a person who meets the above requirements is also eligible for “V” status.

Another new type of visa is also available under the K visa category.  Until now, the K visas have been available only to fiancées of U.S. citizens.  Under the new law, K visa categories have been implemented for spouses of U.S. citizens and the children of those spouses who are outside the U.S.  Now, instead of waiting outside the U.S. for long periods of time while the U.S. Consulate processes their immigrant visas (“Green Cards”), spouses of U.S. citizens and the spouses’ children can enter the U.S. with K visas.  After reuniting with family here, the spouses and their children can then apply for their Green Cards in the U.S.  Because U.S. Consulates can process K visa applications much faster than Green Card applications, the new K visa categories greatly reduce the amount of time that U.S. citizens are separated from their immediate family members who are outside the U.S.

For more information, questions or assistance in obtaining “K” or “V” status, contact:

Perez & Morris LLC
8000 Ravine's Edge Court
Columbus, Ohio 43235
Phone: (614) 431-1500 - Fax: (614) 431-3885

Tags: Benefits