Citizens and permanent residents of the United States can sponsor their family members so that they can obtain a Residency Card.
Kinship and age requirements
American Citizens can file a petition for their spouse and children (biological or adopted), regardless of whether they are single and under the age of 21, older or married.
Likewise, they can sponsor their stepchildren.
Citizens may also request the Residency Card for their parents and siblings. In these cases it is important that applicants are over the age of 21.
Economic requirements
You must have an income that is deemed sufficient in order to sponsor a relative. If you do not meet these requirements (for example, if you are unemployed, work half time or are a student) you can find a cosponsor who lives in the United States, notwithstanding the fact that they are not a relative of the sponsored party. Any person who is an American Citizen or a permanent resident and of legal age can become a cosponsor.
When demonstrating that you meet the economic requirements, the sponsor must take into account their income but also the assets in their property. Under certain terms, they will also have to take into account assets that they own in other countries. These assessments are carried out in a special manner, for which reason it is convenient to seek the help of an expert lawyer.
Finally, in certain cases the earnings of the person who will be sponsored can also be considered as an income – that is, when they have lived in the same home as the sponsor for the last six months.
Legal requirements
The sponsor and/or the cosponsors must sign an Affidavit of Support. This is a legal commitment.
It is important to know that this commitment will be in effect until the applicant becomes an American Citizen or until they demonstrate that they have worked as an employee or as an owner of a company who has made Social Security contributions.