New Jersey Immigration Attorney Discusses a Stepfather being a Sponsor
As an experienced New Jersey Immigration Attorney, clients often ask me about a stepfather being a sponsor for a green card. This month, a young lady who was 23 years old came into my office, and talked about how her mother had obtained a green card through marriage to her stepfather. The young lady was about 16 when the initial papers were filed, and her name was on the original paperwork. Now she’s 23, and she’s wondering if her stepfather can sponsor her.
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Many times, people are worried. After they turn 21, a lot of the laws change. In this case, what matters is your age when your biological parent married the stepparent. Since her mom married her stepdad before she turned 18, she’s home free. It doesn’t matter if you’re over 21 when your stepparent files for you.
The best-case scenario would be if someone is under 21 and they came in legally, then they can adjust their status in the US. If they’re living abroad, then the stepparent would file the I-130 visa petition, and someone would go for their interview at the US Embassy abroad. Your age would control the length of time for the appointment. If you’re under 21, it goes quickly but if you’re over 21, it takes longer. Fortunately, in this case, it was good news that the stepfather could sponsor the stepdaughter because her mom had married him before she turned 18.
Are you sure your step-father can be a sponsor? Contact our professional New Jersey Immigration Attorney for more information.
This educational blog was brought to you by Susan Scheer, an experienced New Jersey Immigration Attorney.
