U.S. citizens age 21 or older can sponsor their parents for lawful permanent residence in the United States. Latif Law helps Columbus and Central Ohio families bring parents through the IR-5 immediate relative category — without quotas and with faster processing than other family categories.
Only U.S. citizens age 21 or older may petition for a parent. Lawful permanent residents — even those who have held green cards for decades — cannot sponsor a parent until they themselves naturalize.
Parents of U.S. citizens are classified as immediate relatives under U.S. immigration law. There is no annual cap on immediate relative visas, so there is no waiting list — processing is governed only by USCIS workload, not by quota backlogs that affect other family preference categories. See our family preference categories overview for how parent petitions compare to F1–F4 cases.
Generally the most straightforward category. Requires the U.S. citizen child's birth certificate showing the mother's name.
For children born in wedlock, a birth certificate plus parents' marriage certificate is usually sufficient. Children born out of wedlock require additional proof of the father-child relationship.
A step-parent qualifies if the marriage that created the step-relationship occurred before the U.S. citizen turned 18 years old.
If the parent is physically present in the United States in a lawful status, you can file Form I-485 concurrently with Form I-130. The parent stays in the U.S. throughout the process and may apply for a work permit and travel document while waiting.
If the parent lives outside the U.S., the I-130 is filed first. Once approved, the case moves to the National Visa Center and then to the U.S. embassy in the parent's country, where they attend an immigrant visa interview before traveling to the U.S.
The U.S. citizen petitioner must be at least 21 years old. Lawful permanent residents cannot petition for parents.
Submit the petition with proof of the parent-child relationship — birth certificates, marriage records, and proof of U.S. citizenship.
If the parent is in the U.S. in lawful status, file I-485 for adjustment of status. If abroad, the case is sent to the National Visa Center for consular processing.
The petitioning U.S. citizen child must file Form I-864 demonstrating sufficient income to support the parent at 125% of the federal poverty guidelines.
Complete the required medical examination by an approved civil surgeon (in the U.S.) or panel physician (abroad), plus biometrics if applicable.
Attend the green card interview at the local USCIS field office or U.S. embassy abroad. If approved, the parent receives lawful permanent resident status.
Public charge: The Form I-864 Affidavit of Support is a binding contract. Sponsors of parents accept ongoing support obligations until the parent naturalizes, earns 40 work quarters, leaves the U.S. permanently, dies, or the sponsor dies.
As immediate relatives, parents avoid quota delays. Typical end-to-end timelines run 12 to 24 months depending on whether the parent adjusts status in the U.S. or consular processes abroad and which USCIS field office or embassy handles the case.
Visits are technically possible on a B-2 visitor visa, but consular officers and CBP officers may deny entry where they believe the parent intends to remain. Strategy and timing matter — speak with counsel before traveling.
No. Only U.S. citizens can petition for parents. Lawful permanent residents must first naturalize before sponsoring a parent.
No. There is no English-language or civics test for the green card itself. Those requirements apply only later, if and when the parent applies for U.S. citizenship through naturalization.
Parents are immediate relatives and can be sponsored directly. Siblings fall under the F4 category, which has very long backlogs. Many families file the parent petition first and pursue siblings on a separate, longer track. See our F4 sibling petition page for details.
Parent green card representation throughout the greater Columbus metro area:
Petition brothers and sisters under the F4 family preference category.
Learn more →Spousal petitions for U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
Learn more →Income requirements and joint sponsor rules for parent petitions.
Learn more →Schedule a consultation to discuss your parent green card case. Trilingual service in English, Arabic, and Spanish.
In-depth guides on petitioning family members for U.S. immigration benefits.
Step-by-step guidance for navigating family-based immigration applications with recent policy updates.
2026 guide for Columbus couples on marriage-based green cards — mandatory interviews, documentation, filing fees (~$3,005), and key policy changes.