How do I bring my parents to live here in the US as permanent residents?
Eligibility
To petition for your parents (mother or father) to live in the United States as green card holders, you must be a U.S. citizen and at least 21 years old. Green card holders (permanent residents) may not petition to bring parents to live permanently in the United States.
The table below describes what steps you must take to petition depending upon your circumstances:
After Filing Your Petition
You will be notified by USCIS if your Form I-130 petition is approved or denied. If it is approved and your parent is outside the United States, he or she will be notified to go to the local U.S. consulate to complete visa processing.
If your parent is currently in the United States, he or she may be eligible to file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or to Adjust Status, at the same time as you file Form I-130. For additional information on how to file this application, see the “How Do I Customer Guides”.
Employment Authorization (Work Permit)
Your parents do not need to apply for employment authorization (work permit) once they are admitted as an immigrant with their immigrant visa. If your parents are now outside the United States, they will receive a passport stamp upon arrival in the United States. This stamp will prove that they are allowed to work in the United States until their Permanent Resident Card is received.
If your parents are in the United States and have applied to adjust to permanent resident status by filing Form I-485, they are eligible to apply for employment and travel authorization while their case is pending. Your parents should use Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization and Form I-131, Application for Travel Document, to apply for travel authorization. The fee for Form I-485 also covers Form I-765 and Form I-131 until a decision is made on the application to adjust status.
Note: If your parents have minor children abroad, those children (your siblings) cannot be sponsored on the same petition. See the “Bringing Siblings to Live in the United States as Permanent Residents” page for more information. After your parent becomes a permanent resident, he or she may file a new petition for any qualifying relative – see the “Family of Green Card Holders (Permanent Residents)” page for more on that.
My Petition was Denied: Can I Appeal?
If the visa petition you filed is denied, the denial letter will tell you how to appeal and how much time you have to file the appeal. After your appeal form and the required fee are processed, the appeal will be referred to the Board of Immigration Appeals. For more information, see the “How Do I Customer Guides” section of the website.
