How Can an U.S. Citizen Help Their Parents to Get a Green Card?

How Can an SLC Citizen Help Their Parents to Get a Green Card?

There are many ways to achieve the goal of living and working in the United States. One way is by earning your green card, which grants permanent residency to its holders.

If you are a U.S. citizen living in Utah, you may be wondering how you can help your parents receive a green card. The process is not as complicated as it might seem at first glance. However, in matters as important as this, it’s always a good idea to consult with an immigration attorney.

In this blog post, we will outline the steps necessary for U.S. citizens to sponsor their parents for green cards in Salt Lake City.

Determine if You Are Eligible to Sponsor Your Parents

To sponsor your parents for green cards, you must be at least 21 years of age and be a U.S. citizen. If you meet these criteria, you will then need to gather evidence of your U.S. citizenship, as well as proof of your relationship to your parents (e.g., birth certificate).

File an Immigrant Petition

If your parents are in the United States, and they reside in Utah, you can file for adjustment of status. They will eventually have their case processed in the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Salt Lake City field office. A Salt Lake City green card attorney can assist you with this process. If your parent lives outside the United States, then you will file an I130 Petition for Alien Relative.  Once USCIS has received and approved your petition, they will send it to the National Visa Center (NVC) with instructions on how to proceed with the next steps in the process.

Pay the Necessary Fees and Submit the Required Documentation

Once you pay the necessary fees and submit the required documentation, the NVC will then forward your case to the U.S embassy or consulate. There, your parents will have an interview with a consular officer who will determine whether they are eligible for a green card.

Attend the Interview with Your Parent

You must provide evidence of your ability to support your parents so that they do not become a public charge.  After the consular officer has interviewed your parents and reviewed all required documentation, they will decide on whether to approve their green card application. If all goes well, they will then be issued green cards and will be able to live and work in the United States permanently.

If you are a U.S. citizen interested in helping your parents receive green cards, there are a few things you need to know about the process. First, you must be a U.S. citizen and over the age of 21 to sponsor them. Again, if they are in the United States, you would file the I130 Petition for Alien Relative along with an I-485 Application to Adjust Status to Permanent Resident. Your parents’ case will be processed in the United States. If your parents are outside the United States, you would file the I-130 Petition for Alien Relative first, and wait for its approval. Once approved your parents’ documentation will be sent to the NVC.

With careful attention to each step in the process, you can help make your parents’ dream of living and working in the U.S. come true.

For help with this important process, or to find out if your parents qualify for legal permanent residence in Utah, contact Buhler Thomas Law, P.C., trusted immigration attorneys who have been specializing in immigration law in Salt Lake City, Utah, for over 20 years.

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Anna H.
I can't find enough words to thank Kim! She is so amazingly knowledgeable and helped me so much that I can't thank her enough. She answered all questions, gave invaluable advice, and I am so lucky that I had chosen her as a lawyer! Thank you again, Kim!
Response from the owner:It was truly a pleasure meeting with you! The U.S. benefits from individuals like you.
Garrett S.
We cannot thank Kim and her team enough for everything she has done for us. From the very beginning, she went above and beyond with her time, guidance, and support. Her professionalism, knowledge, and compassion made all the difference in our journey, and we truly believe that without her help, the whole process would have been a lot harder.

What sets her apart is not only her expertise, but also dedication she shows to her clients. She always took the time to explain each step clearly, answer our questions thoroughly, and ensure we felt confident and supported throughout the process.

We are deeply grateful for her hard work and commitment, and we look forward to working with her again in the future if needed. We would gladly recommend her to anyone seeking legal help - Kim is, without question, the lawyer you want by your side.
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Autumn B.
Buhler Thomas Law assisted our agency with the H1-B visa process. They were knowledgeable, helpful, and easy to work with throughout the process. We appreciated their guidance and support they provided us.
Response from the owner:Autumn, thank you for being fantastic to work with especially when we would reach out on Fridays.
David G.
Kim helped me get the green card when we were newly weds. Had a great experience through it all. Very knowledgeable and professional!
Response from the owner:David, it was my absolute pleasure!
Gary H.
Worked with Kim and Eliza over the last several months. They truly are experts and wonderful to work with. We had a successful outcome as a result of their work!
Response from the owner:Thank you so much for the positive review! We truly enjoyed working with you. You will always be one of Eliza's favorites! We appreciate how dedicated you are and quick to respond to emails. We look forward to working with you again in the future.
Rebekah H.
Kim was a beacon of clarity during a frustrating and confusing process. I initially tried to file our marriage green card application on my own and only realized later that I had submitted just one of several required forms. I was overwhelmed and worried I’d make serious mistakes. From the moment we started working with Kim, everything changed. She answered all our questions with patience, simplified the entire process, and brought us peace of mind. She even met with us on Christmas Eve to help finalize our packet so we could submit it ASAP. When we got our interview notice, she responded quickly—scheduling a late-night Zoom call to walk us through what to expect and gave us a detailed checklist to stay organized. Thanks to her guidance, we felt confident and prepared—and the interview went smoothly. Kim is not just a knowledgeable attorney, but a kind and supportive person who genuinely cares about her clients. We’re so grateful for her help and can’t recommend her enough!
Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words. You were truly a pleasure to work with. I don't routinely schedule to meet with clients on Christmas Eve or holidays in general. That said, your efforts were so sincere and I could not help but want to help you. Wishing your family much happiness.
J
Kim, Beca, and the entire team at Buhler Thomas Law were fantastic in our process of securing permanent residency, to say the least. From beginning to end, we received detailed, thorough, timely, and helpful communication about every step of the process. They were always quick to answer questions as well, but above all, we could tell that this team genuinely cared about us. The excitement we felt together as we reached each milestone of the process was tangible and means a lot. I cannot recommend this team enough for any immigration legal needs one might have.
Response from the owner:We have many wonderful clients that we enjoy working with. You two are among our favorites. We appreciate how responsive you bother were to our emails and calls. More importantly though we appreciate how helpful and kind you both were in how you both were in how you communicated. It truly was our pleasure to work with you.
Vale D.
Very impressed with the work that was completed. I've worked with many law firms & attorneys from many different industries. Kim & he team are by far the most impressive in this field than anybody else. I plan to work with them in a few years again. Thanks Kim & team!
Response from the owner:Thank you, thank you, thank you! Your review is so appreciated during this chaotic time in our nation. Our sincerest gratitude for taking this time to write this review.
Yolanda O.
Kim and Eliza are amazing to work with! They have helped us through 2 H1B processes. Their attention to detail, thorough communication and encouragement made a complicated process easy and smooth on our end. I highly recommend them for your immigration needs.
Response from the owner:I wish all our clients were as responsive as you were. It was our pleasure to work with you.