Green cards for the parents of U.S. citizens
A U.S. citizen who is at least 21 can sponsor each parent as an immediate relative — no visa backlog, no waiting for a number. You file one I-130 per parent, then finish through adjustment of status in the U.S. or through a consulate abroad.
Who can sponsor a parent — and who cannot
Only a U.S. citizen who has turned 21 can petition for a parent. Green card holders cannot sponsor parents at all, no matter how long they have held residence — for many families, a parent’s case begins the day the sponsoring child naturalizes or has their 21st birthday. Parents of citizens are immediate relatives, the most favored category in the family system: visas are unlimited, so there is no Visa Bulletin wait for a number.
One consequence of immediate-relative status catches families off guard: there are no derivatives. Your mother’s petition covers your mother, period. If both parents are immigrating, you file one I-130 for each ($675 on paper, $625 online). A younger sibling cannot ride on a parent’s case either — siblings have their own, much slower F4 category.
Two ways to finish the case
If your parent is already in the United States after a lawful entry — typically a visitor visa admission with an I-94 — they can usually apply through adjustment of status without leaving. The I-485 costs $1,440, and the full package with a work permit and travel document runs about $3,005; cases commonly take 12–24 months as of July 2026. Adjustment is expressly discretionary under USCIS policy issued May 21, 2026, and interviews are near-universal, so a clean, complete filing matters.
If your parent is abroad, the case goes through consular processing: the approved I-130 moves to the National Visa Center (case creation has been running about 11 days, document review about 44 days), your parent files the DS-260 ($325), and the case finishes at the U.S. consulate. Government fees on this route total about $1,355, including the $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee paid before the green card is produced. A parent visiting the U.S. on a tourist visa should not simply stay and file — entering as a visitor with a hidden plan to immigrate can poison a case. Talk to us about timing first.
Your promise to support them: the I-864
Every parent case includes an Affidavit of Support from the sponsoring child — a binding commitment to keep the parent above the income floor. The form itself is free ($0), with a $120 review fee at the NVC on consular cases. If your income falls short, a household member or joint sponsor can bridge the gap. Retirement-age parents draw a harder look at finances and health coverage than young spouses do, so we build this part of the file deliberately.
Proving the relationship when records are thin
The core proof is simple: your birth certificate naming the parent, plus your citizenship evidence. But plenty of our clients come from places where civil records were never issued, were lost to war or relocation, or list names inconsistently. Cases like these are built with secondary evidence — church or hospital records, school registries, old family documents, and affidavits from people who knew the family, along with a record of why the primary document is unavailable. For fathers, marriage records or proof of a genuine parent-child relationship may also come into play. It is detail work, and it is exactly the kind of problem worth handing to an attorney rather than guessing at.
One petition per parent
Mother and father each need their own I-130. Immediate-relative cases carry no derivatives — nobody rides along.
Pick the right route
Lawful entry and present in the U.S. usually means adjustment; abroad means the consulate. The costs and rhythms differ — the destination is the same.
Mind September 18, 2026
The filing date decides which public-charge standard applies. For older applicants, filing sooner can matter.
Common questions
I have a green card. Can I sponsor my mother?
Not yet. Only U.S. citizens 21 or older can petition for parents. Many clients file for naturalization (N-400, $760, or $710 online) precisely so a parent’s case can begin.
Can both of my parents immigrate together?
Yes — with two separate I-130 petitions filed at the same time. The cases usually travel together through the process, but each parent has their own file, fees, and interview.
My mother is visiting me on a B-2 visa. Can she just stay and apply?
Sometimes adjustment after a visitor entry is appropriate, but intent at entry matters and the analysis is fact-specific — and adjustment is expressly discretionary under 2026 policy. Get advice before her authorized stay runs out, not after.
Is there a quota or waiting list for parents?
No. Parents of adult U.S. citizens are immediate relatives, so no visa number wait applies. The timeline is driven by processing itself — commonly 12–24 months for adjustment as of July 2026; check current times.
My father’s birth certificate no longer exists. Is the case hopeless?
No. USCIS and consulates accept secondary evidence and affidavits when primary records are genuinely unavailable, if the file explains and documents the gap properly. These cases succeed regularly with careful preparation.
Do my parents need to speak English or take a test?
No exam and no English requirement for a green card through a child. A medical exam, an interview, and the support affidavit are required; English matters only years later, at naturalization, where age-based exceptions may apply.
Ready to bring your parents home?
Flat-fee parent cases, handled start to finish in English, Russian, or Spanish — from Brooklyn to every consulate.