From Green Card to Citizen: What about your beneficiaries?
Many people come into the United States and after an arduous process, obtain a green card. At this very step, you have the ability to request other's to come join you in your new life. These people, when you apply for them and show that you can support them, will be your beneficiaries. You in turn, will be the person sponsoring them.
These beneficiaries mostly, are your own family; spouses, unmarried children under the age of 21, unmarried children over the age of 21, or even potentially new step-children, depending on the children's age, will all be potential candidates for a green card. Be mindful that unmarried children are treated differently depending whether or not they are above or below the age of 21.
So, you go and file an I-130 for them, hoping that you are able to get them a green card of their own. Now, although you can apply for them, not all family members will get to have access into the United States immediately. The waiting time for some of these candidates are long, certain ones taking up to eight years. And so you and they have to wait.
In the due course of waiting for the approved I-130 of your family member to come to fruition, you may get your United States citizenship. The good thing is that the long waiting lines are drastically shortened. When you become a U.S. citizen, your husband or wife, parent, and any unmarried children under age 21 will have green cards immediately available to them. On top of this, your scope of family members who may benefit from you citizenship status grows.
But how do you notify USCIS to tell them that your status is no longer a legal permanent resident, but now as a full fledged citizen. They don't automatically update your pending beneficiaries, you have to notify them of the status change.
You should not file a new I-130 for your family members, this is not only costly, but also would potentially confuse the immigration offices, jeopardizing current petitions. There is a much cheaper and time efficient solution.
The process is relatively simple. You need a carefully worded document that would explain to the offices of USCIS of your new position, attached with it, the necessary documents proving your new change as well as the receipt of the I-130 that you originally sent to them. From there, they will update your family's status, bumping them in to a fast lane of Green Cards. The sooner you do this, the better. Remember that your family members will be added to another queue of waiting immigrants-to-be. Your family, again has to wait, but staking a place in the newer expedited lane has it's obvious benefits.
Also, as the scope of people who may benefit from your new citizenship status has expanded, you should consider if it would be in your and their interest to apply for their green cards as well.
Receiving a United States citizenship is a time for celebration, but also set aside the time to take on the responsibilities of your new founded citizenship as well.
Disclaimer: The information provided here is of a general nature and may not apply to any specific or particular circumstance. It is not to be construed as legal advice nor presumed indefinitely up to date. We strongly encourage parties with Immigration issues to seek the advice of a licensed Immigration Attorney. To schedule a consultation today, contact Pham Law.
