Can I Self-Petition for My Family Members in My Home Country without Hiring a Lawyer?

Question:

As a newly naturalized U.S. Citizen, can I self-petition for my family members in my home country without hiring a lawyer?

Answer:

It is always possible to work by yourself to file a family-based petition or application to sponsor a qualifying relative for the Green Card. Family-based immigrant petitions allow U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents (LPRs) to petition for immigration benefits for certain qualifying family members. You can self-prepares many petitions for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and "preference" relatives of both U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

The filing of family-based petitions allows the qualifying family member to apply for Green Card. This Green Card filing is sometimes permitted as a concurrent filing with the family petition, and sometimes the qualifying relative must wait for many years. The procedures for these filings, and the timelines for eligibility, are discussed in our web site, and our Complete-Do-It-Self packages will help you the whole process. In such family-based cases there is no sponsoring employer.