For many immigrants with close relatives who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents, family-based immigration is one of the main pathways to building a permanent life in the United States. A foreign family member receiving a family-based green card can provide long-term stability, work authorization, greater mobility and a clearer path toward full participation in civic and economic life. Those individual outcomes can also shape the communities where immigrants live: when families are able to remain together and gain permanent legal status, they may be better positioned to work, start businesses, buy homes, pursue education and contribute to local tax bases.
In recent years, the path to permanent residence has become more expensive and administratively complex for many families. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ (USCIS) 2024 fee rule, which took effect April 1, 2024, increased the cost of several immigration filings and changed how some related applications are paid for, including work and travel authorization requests connected to adjustment of status. These pressures are now unfolding alongside new policy signals that may further change how and where family-based green cards are processed.
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