The Houston family-based immigration lawyer at The Fonseca Law Firm may be able to help you if you want to sponsor family members for family-based immigration. U.S. citizens may be able to sponsor a spouse, a parent, an unmarried child and their children, a married child of any age and their children, or siblings and their spouses and children. Permanent residents may also be able to sponsor a spouse, a child under 21 years of age, or an unmarried child over 21 years old. If you are planning to get married, you can also sponsor your fiancé(e) with a fiancé visa.
Ready to start — or stuck mid-process? Call 713-534-2873 to schedule a consultation with a trusted Houston immigration practice.
Under the law, immediate relatives like spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21 receive priority, while visas for extended family may take longer to approve. Mistakes in the application process can result in a delayed visa or a denial. If you are thinking of applying to sponsor a spouse or family member, reach out to the Houston, Texas, family-based immigration lawyer at The Fonseca Law Firm today. We can help you get your application right, prepare you for the interview process, and stand by your side every step of the way.
How to Bring Your Spouse to Live in the U.S.
If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and want to bring your spouse to the U.S., you may be able to sponsor your spouse for a green card. Only a U.S. citizen, however, can sponsor a fiancé(e) for a fiancé visa. How you'll go about sponsoring your spouse depends on several factors — including whether your spouse currently lives in the U.S. and needs to adjust status, or lives outside the country.
If your spouse or fiancé(e) lives outside the country, you'll need to submit the appropriate forms and wait until your spouse receives notice from the consulate or embassy in their country. You can also apply for a K-3 visa, which can allow your spouse to live in the U.S. while the green card application is pending.
If your spouse lives in the U.S. and entered the country legally, you'll submit the appropriate form to adjust their status. If you have been married less than two years when your green card application is approved, your spouse will receive a conditional green card. To remove the conditions, you'll have to submit additional documentation and apply to remove conditional status within the 90 days before the conditional green card expires.
Applying for family-based immigration can be stressful. Getting your application right the first time prevents delays. The Fonseca Law Firm is a family-based immigration lawyer in Houston, Texas, that may be able to help you every step of the way.
What You Need to Know About Family-Based Immigration in Houston, Texas
There are many benefits to sponsoring a family member to immigrate to the U.S. Yet before you sponsor a loved one, there are some things you should know:
- No cap for immediate relatives. While some green card categories have annual limits, there is no cap on family-based green cards for immediate relatives — spouses, unmarried children under 21, and parents of U.S. citizens. There are caps on green cards for more distant relatives, which is one reason those cases take longer.
- The petition. To sponsor a family member for family-based immigration, you'll need to submit Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative.
- Sponsor requirements. To qualify as a sponsor, you must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and financially stable.
- Medical exam. Visa applicants must go through a medical examination before the visa is granted.
- If your loved one is already in the U.S., check carefully whether they are eligible to adjust status through family-based immigration. In some circumstances family-based immigration is not an option — and in some situations, applying can cause serious problems for your immigration status. The best way to protect your loved ones from mistakes is to check with a Houston, Texas, family-based immigration lawyer at The Fonseca Law Firm first.
- Timelines vary. Receiving a visa can take time, especially for more distant relatives. If you are applying for a fiancé(e) or spouse who lives outside the country, it can take months before they receive a visa or are eligible to come to the U.S. We can review your situation and give you a clearer sense of realistic timelines.
Marriage-Based Green Cards: Help When It Matters Most
If you are a U.S. citizen marrying someone who is not, you may be able to sponsor your loved one for a green card. Getting married — or moving a spouse from another country — is stressful enough. Add the family-based immigration process on top, and it's easy to feel overwhelmed. The application can involve many steps, especially if your loved one lives outside the country.
The family-based immigration lawyer in Houston, Texas, at The Fonseca Law Firm can help you navigate the marriage green card process from start to finish. We take the time to determine whether your family member qualifies, help you submit all applications and documentation, and prepare you for interviews and every other step. You don't have to navigate this alone — reach out today to learn more.
Planning for the future, too? Once your loved one has a green card, naturalization may be the next milestone. Read about our U.S. citizenship services.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to get a green card through marriage?
It depends on whether your spouse is a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident, and whether your spouse lives inside or outside the United States. Cases involving a U.S. citizen spouse and a family member already in the country are often the fastest, while cases requiring consular processing abroad can take longer. We can give you a realistic timeline once we know the details of your situation.
Can I sponsor a family member if I only have a green card, not citizenship?
Yes, in some cases. Permanent residents can sponsor a spouse or unmarried child, though the wait times are generally longer than they would be for a U.S. citizen petitioner. We can walk you through which relatives you're eligible to sponsor at your current status.
What if my marriage-based petition gets a request for more evidence?
A Request for Evidence usually means USCIS wants more documentation to confirm your relationship is genuine — it isn't a denial. We help clients understand exactly what's being asked for and put together a thorough, well-organized response before the deadline.
Do I need a lawyer to sponsor a family member, or can I file on my own?
You're not required to have a lawyer, but family-based cases are full of small details — filing the correct forms, meeting income requirements, providing the right evidence — where a single mistake can cause months of delay or a denial. Having a lawyer review your case before you file can catch problems while they're still easy to fix.