Good News for Spouses and Children of Lawful Permanent Residents

The U.S. Department of State recently released the August Visa Bulletin. You can find a copy of this Visa Bulletin at United State government web site: visa bulletin [PDF version]. Immigrant visas will be current for the F2A category, which includes spouses and children of lawful permanent residents (i.e. LPR's or Green Card Holders) regardless of the beneficiary's native country. It is important to keep in mind that the term child is specifically defined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) as unmarried son or daughter under the age of 21. If your son or daughter has turned 21 while the immigrant visa petition has been pending, it is important you contact an experienced immigration attorney as soon as possible to determine if he or she still qualify for an immigrant visa under the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA).

If your spouse and/ or children are currently residing outside the United States, it is important that you take the time to notify U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or the National Visa Center (NVC) of any changes in contact information. You do not want to cause undue delay in immigrant visa application process, because you did not receive notifications from USCIS or the NVC. You can find information on notifying USCIS of a change of address at USCIS government web site [link]. You can find contact information for the NVC at immigrants travel state government visa info [link]. However, if your spouse and/or children are currently in the United States, you should consult an experienced immigration attorney about their eligibility to seek adjustment of status in the United States.