green card for parents

Parent Visa

Parents of US citizens are eligible to become US Green Card holders (also known as legal permanent residents). Green cards allow you to live and work in the United States permanently and also offer a pathway to citizenship. To be eligible for a parental green card, your child must be a US citizen who is 21 years of age or older.

Visa Petition

To come to the United States as the parent of a US citizen, your US citizen child must first petition for you by filing USCIS Form I-130. Form I-130 is the Immigrant Petition for Relative and is used for all family category immigrant visas. Once the I-130 is approved, you must wait for a visa number to become available before filing Form I-485 to receive your green card and permanent resident status.

Parent Visa

Depending if you are the mother or father of your US citizen child and on the circumstances of the child’s birth (in or out of wedlock), different documents will be required for your green card application. The following are a list of documents required to file the I-130 petition, to be filed by the US citizen child.

  • Mother living abroad
    • Copy of child’s Birth Certificate showing mother’s name
    • Copy of child’s Certificate of Naturalization or US passport if not born in the United States
  • Father living abroad, child born in-wedlock
    • Copy of child’s Birth Certificate showing father’s name
    • Copy of child’s Certificate of Naturalization or US passport if not born in the United States
    • Copy of Marriage Certificate from marriage to the child’s mother
  • Father living abroad, child born out-of-wedlock & not legitimated by father until 18 years old
    • Copy of child’s Birth Certificate showing father’s name
    • Copy of child’s Certificate of Naturalization or US passport if not born in the United States
    • Evidence that an emotional or financial bond existed between father and child before the child was married or reached the age of 21, whichever came first
  • Father living abroad, child born out-of-wedlock and legitimated by father before the child reached 18 years of age
    • Copy of child’s Birth Certificate showing father’s name
    • Copy of child’s Certificate of Naturalization or US passport if not born in the United States
    • Evidence that the child was legitimated before his/her 18th birthday either through the marriage of the biological mother and father, the laws of the child’s state or country (by birth or residence), or the laws of the father’s state or country (by birth or residence)
  • Step-parent living abroad
    • Copy of child’s Birth Certificate showing names of natural parents
    • Copy of child’s Certificate of Naturalization or US passport if not born in the United States
    • Copy of the Marriage Certificate of the natural parent to the step-parent, showing that the marriage took place before the child’s 18th birthday
    • Copy of any divorce decrees, death certificates, or annulment decrees to show that any previous marriage entered by the natural or step-parent ended legally
  • Adoptive parent living abroad
    • Copy of child’s Birth Certificate showing names of birth parents
    • Copy of child’s Certificate of Naturalization or US passport if not born in the United States
    • Certified copy of the adoption certificate showing that the adoption took place before the child’s 16th birthday
    • Statement showing the dates and places the child and adoptive parent have lived together

What is I-485?

The I-485 is a US Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS) form. It is officially titled Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. Form I-485 is the application for US permanent residence, commonly known as a green card. A green card allows you to live and work in the United States permanently.

What is I-130

The I-130 is a US Citizenship and Immigration (USCIS) form. It is officially titled Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Form I-130 is required for family-based immigration applications. It must be filed by the US citizen or permanent resident relative on behalf of the immigrant applicant to prove their relationship.

What is naturalization

Naturalization is the process of becoming a citizen. If you are not born in the United States or born to US citizen parents, you may only become a US citizen through the process of naturalization. The naturalization process first requires you to become a US permanent resident (green card holder) and live in the United States for a period of continuous residence. You must also pass the citizenship test which requires you to have knowledge of US history and government and fluency of the English language.