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Maryland Immigration Law
Maryland Family Immigration Attorney
If you live in Maryland and need to bring a family member to the United States, you need a Maryland family immigration attorney who knows the federal system. The petition you file matters. The evidence you submit matters. The timing of every step matters. Family-based immigration sounds simple on paper. File a petition, wait, receive a green card. The reality is harder. USCIS demands proof of every relationship, every dollar of sponsor income, and every step of your timeline. One missing document or one weak interview answer can stall your case for years.
Babak Movahedi has practiced law for 35 years and has focused on immigration exclusively since 2018. He earned his JD and LLM from Georgetown University Law Center. He holds admission to the United States Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Movahedi Law Group represents families across Maryland, including Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Baltimore, and surrounding communities. Babak personally handles every case from intake through approval. You never get passed off to a junior associate or a paralegal.
This page explains how family-based immigration works in Maryland. It walks through which petition fits your relationship, what USCIS expects to see, and where most cases break down. If you already know what you need, skip ahead and call.
Call Movahedi Law Group at (202) 255-3355 to schedule a private consultation with a Maryland family immigration attorney who will review your situation today.
Family immigration cases never feel routine to the people living through them. You are trying to bring your spouse home, reunite with your parents, or get your child a green card before they age out of a category. The stakes are personal. Movahedi Law Group treats them that way. Babak Movahedi works one-on-one with every Maryland family that hires the firm. You speak directly with the Maryland family immigration attorney handling your file. You get answers from the person making the legal decisions, not a receptionist relaying messages.
Maryland sits in the middle of one of the busiest immigration corridors in the country. Federal immigration courts, USCIS field offices, and the National Visa Center process cases for thousands of Maryland families every year. A Maryland family immigration attorney who understands how these federal systems interact with your daily life can shorten timelines and prevent small mistakes from becoming long delays.
A Maryland family immigration attorney files the right petition for your relationship and builds the evidence USCIS needs to approve it. That sounds simple. It is not. Family immigration involves dozens of forms, multiple federal agencies, and rules that change without warning. USCIS published a major policy update on spousal petitions in October 2025. Filing fees rose again in 2025 under federal legislation. A Maryland family immigration attorney who tracks these changes keeps your case on the current rules instead of last year’s.
Babak handles the full process from start to finish. He drafts the I-130 petition, gathers proof of the qualifying relationship, prepares the affidavit of support, and walks you through the green card interview. If your case lands in immigration court or stalls at a consulate abroad, he stays with you through every step. You get one Maryland family immigration attorney from intake through approval. No handoffs.
Movahedi Law Group represents families in every county in Maryland. Most clients come from Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, Anne Arundel County, and Frederick County. The firm also serves families in Rockville, Silver Spring, Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Hyattsville, Columbia, Towson, and Annapolis. Immigration law is federal, so Babak can represent you no matter where you live in the state.
The firm is virtual by design. You do not need to drive to an office or sit in a waiting room. Intake happens through a simple questionnaire and a phone call. Babak speaks English and works with Spanish-speaking clients through a translator. A full Spanish-language version of the firm’s site is in development for clients who prefer to read materials in Spanish before reaching out.
You qualify to file a family immigration petition if you are a U.S. citizen or a lawful permanent resident living in Maryland and your relative falls into one of the categories Congress recognizes. U.S. citizens can petition for spouses, parents, unmarried children under 21, married sons and daughters of any age, and brothers and sisters. Green card holders can petition for spouses and unmarried children of any age, but not for parents or siblings.
Your immigration status determines how fast your relative can come. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens face no annual cap, so visas are always available. Family preference categories sit on a waiting list, and some categories run more than ten years behind. Babak reviews your status, your relative’s status, and the current Visa Bulletin during your first call, so you know what to expect before you spend a dollar on filing fees.
Family-based immigration runs under federal law. Maryland courts do not decide who gets a green card. USCIS, the State Department, and the immigration courts handle every part of the process. That said, where you live still shapes your case. Maryland sponsors a file with specific USCIS service centers, attends interviews at the Baltimore field office, and follows Fourth Circuit precedent if a case ever reaches federal court. A Maryland family immigration attorney who knows these touchpoints saves you time and stress.
The system splits family petitions into two tracks. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens move quickly because Congress did not cap their numbers. Everyone else falls into the family preference system, which limits visas by category and country each year. The track you fall into controls everything that comes next, including how long you wait, where your relative’s interviews are, and whether they can work while the case is pending. Babak walks Maryland clients through both tracks in plain language during every consultation at Movahedi Law Group.
Immediate relative status is the fastest path to a green card under family immigration law. USCIS reserves this category for the closest family members of U.S. citizens. There is no annual visa cap. A visa is always available the moment USCIS approves your petition. That means your relative can move forward without sitting on a waitlist for years.
Immediate relative cases still take time. Most I-130 petitions for immediate relatives take 8 to 15 months for USCIS to decide, depending on the service center and the complexity of the file. After approval, your relative either adjusts status inside the United States or processes through a U.S. consulate abroad. The good news is that the visa wait itself does not delay them. The hard part is building a clean petition that USCIS approves on the first try.
Three relationships qualify as immediate relatives. The first is a spouse of a U.S. citizen. The second is an unmarried child under 21 of a U.S. citizen. The third is a parent of a U.S. citizen who is at least 21 years old. Each of these relationships skips the visa waitlist entirely. Movahedi Law Group handles all three regularly for Maryland families.
The evidence USCIS wants varies by relationship. Spousal cases need proof of a real marriage, not just a marriage certificate. Parent cases need clear birth records tying the citizen child to the petitioning parent. Child cases need proof of the parent-child relationship and proof that the child has not married. Babak builds each evidence package around the specific relationship so USCIS officers do not need to send a Request for Evidence.
Family preference categories cover relatives who do not qualify as immediate relatives. These include adult children of U.S. citizens, siblings of U.S. citizens, and most relatives of green card holders. Congress caps the number of visas in each preference category every year. That cap creates the waitlists you see in the monthly Visa Bulletin published by the State Department.
Wait times vary wildly by category and by country of birth. Some categories move faster for petitioners from low-volume countries. Others run more than 20 years behind for high-volume countries like Mexico and the Philippines. A Maryland family immigration attorney reviews the current Visa Bulletin against your relative’s category and birth country before you file, so you understand the realistic timeline.
The five family preference categories follow a strict order. F1 covers unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens who are 21 or older. F2A covers spouses and unmarried children under 21 of green card holders. F2B covers unmarried sons and daughters of green card holders who are 21 or older. F3 covers married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens. F4 covers brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens.
Each category has its own annual cap and its own waitlist. F2A often moves the fastest because Congress allocates more visas there. F4 sibling petitions sit at the back of the line, sometimes for decades. Babak helps Maryland clients pick the strongest category, file the petition correctly, and lock in a priority date as early as possible. The earlier your priority date, the sooner your relative reaches the front of the line.
The Visa Bulletin is the monthly chart that tells you when your relative can move forward. The State Department publishes it on the first business day of every month. It lists the cutoff dates for each preference category by country of birth. If your relative’s priority date sits before the cutoff, they can apply for adjustment of status or schedule a consular interview. If it sits after the cutoff, they wait.
The bulletin moves forward, backward, and sideways depending on demand. A category that looked open last month can regress overnight. Maryland families often miss filing windows because they do not check the bulletin in time. Movahedi Law Group monitors the Visa Bulletin every month for active clients and reaches out the moment a category becomes current. You do not have to track it yourself.
Marriage-based green cards are the most common family immigration cases Movahedi Law Group handles for Maryland couples. They are also the most heavily scrutinized. USCIS knows that marriage fraud exists, so officers look hard at every spousal petition. They want to see real evidence of a real marriage, not paperwork. A weak file invites a Request for Evidence, a fraud interview, or a denial. A strong file moves through the system without trouble.
Babak treats every spousal case as a building project. He starts with the legal proof of marriage, then layers in financial proof, residential proof, and personal proof of the relationship. The goal is a petition USCIS approves on first review. Maryland couples who follow that approach skip the second-round questions and shave months off their timeline.
Form I-130 is the petition that starts every marriage-based green card case. The U.S. citizen or green card holder’s spouse files it. The petition tells USCIS who you are, who your spouse is, and how you qualify to sponsor them. Filing the form is the easy part. Building the evidence package is the work.
USCIS expects civil documents first. You need a certified marriage certificate, proof of the petitioner’s U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residence, and proof that any prior marriage ended legally. Then comes the relationship evidence. Joint bank accounts, shared leases, joint utility bills, photos with family, and travel records all build the case. Babak reviews every document before filing, so nothing is missing that triggers an RFE. Maryland couples filing through Movahedi Law Group typically submit packages USCIS accepts on the first round.
USCIS uses a standard called bona fide marriage. The agency wants proof that you are married for real reasons, not for immigration benefits. Officers look at the full picture rather than any single document. A short courtship is not fatal. A long-distance relationship is not fatal. What matters is whether the evidence shows two people who built a life together.
USCIS issued updated guidance on spousal petitions on October 17, 2025. The new policy reaffirms the bona fide marriage standard and tightens how officers review evidence of a good-faith relationship. Joint financial accounts, shared property, cohabitation records, and affidavits from people who know you both still carry the most weight. The October update also confirmed that same-sex marriages receive the same evidentiary treatment as opposite-sex marriages. Babak knows the new framework and builds files that meet it.
Same-sex spouses qualify for green cards on the same terms as opposite-sex spouses. The Supreme Court settled that question in Obergefell v. Hodges, and USCIS has applied marriage equality to immigration cases since 2013. Maryland recognized same-sex marriage before the federal ruling, so couples married in Maryland have a clean record of marriage validity from day one.
USCIS still wants the same proof of a bona fide relationship. Joint accounts, joint leases, shared insurance, and family acceptance all matter. Some officers ask additional questions about how the couple met or how they live, especially if one spouse comes from a country that does not recognize same-sex marriage. Movahedi Law Group represents same-sex Maryland couples regularly and prepares them for these interview dynamics in advance. Babak has the experience to anticipate sensitive questions and frame the file so they never become a problem.
If your spouse lives outside the United States, the process runs through consular processing instead of adjustment of status. Babak files the I-130 with USCIS first. Once USCIS approves the petition, the case transfers to the National Visa Center. The NVC collects fees, civil documents, and the affidavit of support, then schedules an immigrant visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate nearest your spouse.
Consular processing for a spouse usually takes 12 to 24 months from filing to visa issuance. Some embassies move faster than others. Recent federal policy paused immigrant visa processing for nationals of certain countries, effective January 21, 2026, so timelines can shift without warning depending on your spouse’s nationality. A Maryland family immigration attorney monitors these policy changes and adjusts your strategy when they hit. Babak walks Maryland clients through every step of consular processing and prepares the foreign spouse for the interview, even when they are thousands of miles away.
The K-1 fiancé visa lets a U.S. citizen bring a foreign fiancé to the United States to marry. It is not a green card. It is a temporary visa that gives your fiancé 90 days to enter the country, marry you, and start the green card process. Maryland residents use the K-1 when they want their partner here before the wedding instead of marrying abroad and waiting through consular processing.
The K-1 is faster than a marriage-based immigrant visa in most cases, but it costs more in the long run. You file twice. Once for the K-1 itself, then again for the green card after the marriage. Babak walks Maryland couples through both paths during the first call and recommends the one that fits the relationship, the budget, and the timeline. Movahedi Law Group has handled K-1 cases for couples meeting on every continent.
The K-1 process starts with Form I-129F, the Petition for Alien Fiancé. The U.S. citizen files it with USCIS. The petition asks for proof of citizenship, proof that the couple has met in person within the last two years, and proof that both parties are legally free to marry. USCIS reviews the petition for eligibility, not for the strength of the relationship. That review happens later at the consulate.
After USCIS approves the I-129F, the case moves to the National Visa Center, then to the U.S. embassy or consulate where your fiancé lives. Your fiancé attends a visa interview, submits to a medical exam, and receives the K-1 visa if approved. Total processing time runs 8 to 14 months in most cases. Babak prepares Maryland clients for the I-129F filing and stays involved through the consular stage, even though the foreign fiancé attends the interview alone.
Your fiancé must enter the United States within six months of K-1 visa issuance. Once they arrive, the 90-day clock starts. You have 90 days to marry. If you marry within that window, your spouse can file Form I-485 to adjust status to a conditional green card holder. If you do not marry within 90 days, your fiancé has to leave the country.
Adjustment of status after a K-1 marriage usually takes another 8 to 14 months. During that time, your spouse can apply for a work permit and a travel document. Movahedi Law Group files the adjustment package right after the wedding so Maryland couples avoid gaps in work authorization. Babak prepares both spouses for the green card interview at the Baltimore USCIS field office, where most Maryland adjustment cases get scheduled.
The K-1 is not the only option. You can also marry abroad and file an I-130 spousal petition for an immigrant visa. Each path has trade-offs. The K-1 brings your partner to Maryland faster, usually in under a year. The spousal route takes longer up front but delivers a green card the moment your spouse enters the country, with no second filing required.
Cost matters too. K-1 cases require two filing rounds and two sets of fees. Spousal cases require one. Long-term, the spousal route often costs less and creates fewer paperwork headaches. The right choice depends on where you are in the relationship, where the wedding will happen, and how soon you need to live together. Babak reviews the trade-offs with every Maryland couple and helps you pick the path that fits your life, not a generic template.
Spouses and fiancés get most of the attention in family immigration, but Maryland residents petition for parents, children, and siblings every day. These cases follow different rules and different timelines than spousal cases. Some move quickly. Others take decades. Knowing which category your relative falls into is the first step toward a realistic plan.
Movahedi Law Group handles every type of family petition, not just marriage cases. Babak reviews the relationship, the petitioner’s status, and the current Visa Bulletin during the first call. That gives Maryland families a clear answer on what to expect before they file. The wrong filing can lock your relative into a slow category when a faster path was available. The right filing protects them from years of unnecessary waiting.
A U.S. citizen who is at least 21 years old can petition for a parent. Parents fall into the immediate relative category, so there is no annual cap and no waitlist. The petition itself takes 8 to 15 months at USCIS, and the green card follows shortly after through adjustment of status or consular processing.
Maryland clients often ask why the petitioning child must be 21. Federal law sets the age. There is no workaround. A 19-year-old citizen cannot petition for a parent, even if the parent has lived in Maryland for years on a valid visa. Babak reviews the timing carefully and, in some cases, recommends waiting a few months for a child’s birthday rather than filing under a category that does not apply.
When the parent lives outside the United States, the case runs through consular processing. After USCIS approves the I-130, the National Visa Center collects the affidavit of support, civil documents, and fees. The parent then attends an immigrant visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country.
Most consular interviews for parents are straightforward. The officer reviews the parent-child relationship, confirms admissibility, and issues the visa. Movahedi Law Group prepares the parent for the interview in advance, even when they speak limited English. Babak coordinates with the foreign parent through phone and email, so nothing in the file surprises the consular officer.
When the parent already lives in Maryland on a valid visa, the case usually runs through adjustment of status. The petitioner files the I-130, and the parent files Form I-485 at the same time. USCIS processes both together, schedules a green card interview at the Baltimore field office, and issues the green card if everything checks out.
The catch is admissibility. A parent who entered the United States lawfully and stayed past their visa expiration may still adjust through their citizen child, but a parent who entered without inspection generally cannot. Babak reviews the parents’ full immigration history before filing, so Maryland families do not walk into an interview that triggers removal proceedings instead of a green card approval.
Parents who entered with a visa and overstayed can usually adjust through a U.S. citizen child. The Immigration and Nationality Act forgives the overstay for immediate relatives. That forgiveness does not apply to entries without inspection or to parents with prior immigration violations, like deportation orders or fraud findings.
Movahedi Law Group screens every parent case for these issues during intake. Babak asks about every entry into the United States, every visa application, and every prior interaction with immigration authorities. A clean screening means a clean filing. A flagged issue means a different strategy, usually involving a waiver or a different procedural path.
Petitions for children depend on age, marital status, and the petitioner’s immigration status. A U.S. citizen can petition for an unmarried child under 21 as an immediate relative, an unmarried child over 21 under category F1, or a married child of any age under category F3. A green card holder can petition for an unmarried child of any age under categories F2A or F2B.
Each category has different wait times. Immediate relative cases move quickly. F2A often moves within a few years. F1 and F3 can run a decade or longer for some countries of birth. Babak reviews the Visa Bulletin during every consultation and explains where each category sits before Maryland families pick a filing strategy.
A stepchild qualifies for a green card through a stepparent if the marriage that created the stepparent relationship took place before the child turned 18. The rule is strict. A marriage on the child’s 18th birthday meets the cutoff. A marriage one day later does not. Maryland families with blended households need to plan around this rule when one spouse is a U.S. citizen, and the other has children from a prior relationship.
Documentation matters. USCIS wants the marriage certificate of the biological parent and the stepparent, proof that the marriage occurred before the child turned 18, and proof that the prior parental relationship ended legally. Babak builds stepchild petitions with these specific documents up front so the case does not stall during review at the USCIS service center.
Adopted children qualify for green cards through their adoptive parents if the adoption was finalized before the child turned 16, with limited exceptions extending the deadline to 18 in sibling adoption cases. The child must also have lived in the legal and physical custody of the adoptive parent for at least two years before the petition.
Some adoptions follow the Hague Adoption Convention. Others run through the orphan process. Each track has its own forms and its own evidence rules. Movahedi Law Group walks Maryland adoptive families through the path that fits their situation and prepares the petition with the supporting custody and adoption records USCIS expects.
A U.S. citizen who is at least 21 years old can petition for a brother or sister under category F4. The petition itself is straightforward. The wait is brutal. F4 sibling petitions sit at the back of the family preference line and run anywhere from 14 to more than 20 years, depending on the sibling’s country of birth.
Many Maryland families file F4 petitions anyway because the priority date locks in the sibling’s place in line. The earlier you file, the sooner your sibling reaches the front. Babak files F4 petitions for Maryland clients who understand the wait and want to start the clock. He also reviews whether the sibling might qualify for a faster category through a different relationship, like a marriage to a U.S. citizen or a separate employment-based path.
Federal law caps the number of immigrant visas any single country can use each year. Countries with high demand, like Mexico, the Philippines, India, and China, fill their capacity quickly. Siblings born in those countries wait the longest. Siblings born in low-volume countries reach the front of the line much faster, sometimes in under 15 years.
The country of birth is what counts, not the siblings’ current citizenship. A sibling born in the Philippines who later naturalized in Canada still waits in the Philippines line. Movahedi Law Group checks the country of birth during intake and runs the projected wait time for every F4 case before filing, so Maryland families know what they are signing up for.
If the U.S. citizen petitioner dies while the sibling case is pending or while the sibling waits in line, the petition can sometimes survive under federal humanitarian rules. The sibling has to meet residency requirements and find a substitute sponsor for the affidavit of support. The case is not automatic, and many Maryland families do not realize the option exists.
Babak reviews these humanitarian reinstatement rules when families call after a petitioner has passed away. The window to act is short. If the petition can be saved, Movahedi Law Group files quickly and works with the sibling to identify a qualifying substitute sponsor in Maryland or another state.
Every family green card case ends one of two ways. Your relative either adjusts status inside the United States or processes a visa through a U.S. consulate abroad. The path you take depends on where your relative lives, how they entered the country, and whether they hold a valid status. Picking the wrong path delays the case and, in some situations, blocks the green card entirely.
Movahedi Law Group reviews this question at the start of every case. Babak does not file an I-485 just because the relative is in Maryland, and he does not push consular processing just because the relative is abroad. The right path depends on the full record. Maryland families who understand both options before filing avoid the most common procedural traps in family immigration.
Adjustment of status is the process of getting a green card without leaving the United States. Your relative files Form I-485 with USCIS, attends a green card interview at the Baltimore field office or another nearby location, and receives the green card on approval. The process keeps the family together in Maryland during the wait. It also lets the relative apply for a work permit and a travel document while the case is pending.
Adjustment is available only to relatives already in the United States who entered lawfully. Most relatives who entered with a visa qualify. Most who entered without inspection do not, with limited exceptions. Babak screens every Maryland case for entry history before recommending an adjustment. The wrong filing can trigger removal proceedings instead of a green card.
Form I-485 sits at the center of the adjustment package. The application asks for biographic information, immigration history, and admissibility details. USCIS pairs it with supporting forms and documents that prove eligibility. Filing the package correctly the first time prevents Requests for Evidence and shaves months off the timeline.
Movahedi Law Group prepares the full package as one unit. The I-485 goes in with civil documents, the medical exam results, the affidavit of support, and the underlying I-130 petition if the case allows concurrent filing. Babak reviews every page before submission. Maryland clients who file through the firm rarely receive RFEs because the package is complete on day one.
Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens can file the I-130 and the I-485 together. USCIS calls this concurrent filing. The benefit is speed. Both forms move through the system at the same time. The relative gets work authorization within a few months, and the green card interview gets scheduled once the file is complete.
Concurrent filing is not available for family preference cases. Those cases require an approved I-130 and a current priority date before the I-485 can be filed. Babak walks Maryland clients through the timing during the first call so families do not assume their relative qualifies for concurrent filing when they do not.
Most Maryland adjustment cases get scheduled at the Baltimore USCIS field office. The interview lasts 20 to 45 minutes for most cases. The officer reviews the petition, asks about the relationship, and confirms the information on the I-485. Spousal cases get the longest interviews because the officer wants to confirm the marriage is real.
Movahedi Law Group prepares Maryland clients for the interview in advance. Babak runs through the likely questions, reviews the file with the couple, and advises on what to bring. He attends the interview when the case warrants it. A prepared client gives clean answers, the officer closes the file, and the green card arrives in the mail a few weeks later.
Consular processing is the path for relatives who live outside the United States. After USCIS approves the I-130, the case transfers to the National Visa Center. The NVC collects fees and documents, then forwards the file to the U.S. embassy or consulate where your relative lives. The relative attends an immigrant visa interview abroad and enters the United States as a green card holder.
Consular processing is also the right choice for some relatives already in the United States who entered without inspection or who have other admissibility issues. Babak reviews the full record before recommending the path. A relative who tries to adjust status when they should undergo the consular process can be denied and placed in removal proceedings. The wrong choice has real consequences.
The National Visa Center handles every consular case after USCIS approval. The NVC sends instructions to the petitioner and the beneficiary, collects the visa application fees, and reviews the affidavit of support and civil documents. Once the file is complete, the NVC schedules the immigrant visa interview at the embassy or consulate.
NVC processing usually takes three to six months once the I-130 is approved, though delays happen. Movahedi Law Group manages the NVC stage for Maryland sponsors, so nothing gets lost in translation between the petitioner here and the beneficiary abroad. Babak responds to NVC requests within days, not weeks, which keeps the case moving.
The NVC requires Form I-864, the affidavit of support, before it will schedule the consular interview. The form proves the petitioner can financially support the relative at 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines. The NVC reviews the form, the supporting tax returns, and the proof of income before approving it.
Maryland sponsors who fall short of the income requirement can use a joint sponsor or count assets. Babak reviews income, assets, and household size during the consultation and identifies any gap before the NVC sees the file. A clean affidavit of support clears NVC review the first time and avoids the back and forth that delays many family cases.
The immigrant visa interview is the final step in consular processing. The consular officer reviews the petition, the affidavit of support, the medical exam results, and the relationship evidence. The officer asks the relative about the petitioner, the relationship, and their plans in the United States. Most interviews end with visa approval the same day.
Some interviews end with a 221(g) refusal, which means the officer needs more information before deciding. Others end with a finding of inadmissibility that requires a waiver. Movahedi Law Group prepares Maryland families for both possibilities. Babak briefs the foreign relative by phone before the interview and steps in immediately if the consulate refuses or delays the case.
Every family-based green card case requires an affidavit of support. The petitioner signs Form I-864, which is a contract between the sponsor and the federal government. The sponsor promises to support the relative at 125 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and to repay the government if the relative ever uses certain public benefits. The contract lasts until the relative naturalizes, works 40 quarters, leaves the country permanently, or dies.
The income requirement is the part that trips up most Maryland sponsors. A sponsor with a household of two needs to show roughly $26,000 to $27,000 in annual income under current guidelines. Larger households need more. Babak reviews tax returns, pay stubs, and household size during the consultation and identifies the right path before filing. Maryland sponsors who handle the affidavit of support correctly the first time avoid the most common reason consular cases get delayed.
A joint sponsor is a U.S. citizen or green card holder who agrees to take on the affidavit of support obligation alongside the petitioner. The joint sponsor must independently meet the income requirement based on their own household size. The joint sponsor signs a separate I-864 and submits their own tax returns and proof of income.
Joint sponsors carry the same legal obligation as the petitioner. They sign a binding contract with the federal government. Movahedi Law Group walks Maryland, joint sponsors, through the commitment before they sign, so they understand what they are agreeing to. Babak also reviews whether the joint sponsor’s income, household, and immigration status actually qualify before adding them to the file.
Sponsors who fall short on income can sometimes use assets to make up the difference. The asset value generally has to equal five times the income shortfall for most sponsors, or three times the shortfall for spouses of U.S. citizens. Qualifying assets include savings, real estate equity, and other liquid holdings. Retirement accounts count in limited situations.
Asset cases need careful documentation. USCIS and the NVC want bank statements, property appraisals, and proof that the sponsor controls the assets. Babak reviews the asset picture during intake and decides whether the asset path is realistic before filing. Maryland sponsors who try to count assets without proper records often see their cases delayed for months while the NVC asks for more proof.
Family immigration cases run on deadlines, evidence, and the policies in effect on the day you file. A wrong choice on the I-130 form, a missing piece of relationship evidence, or an income shortfall on the affidavit of support can stall your case for months or push it into a denial. The cost of getting it right the first time is always lower than the cost of fixing a denied petition or starting over from scratch. If you live in Maryland and you need to bring a spouse, fiancé, parent, child, or sibling to the United States, this is the moment to talk to a Maryland family immigration attorney who handles these cases every day.
Babak Movahedi has practiced law for 35 years and has focused on immigration exclusively since 2018. He earned his JD and LLM from Georgetown University Law Center and holds admission to the United States Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. He runs a highly selective practice and personally handles every case from intake through approval. You will not get passed off to an associate. You will not wait days for a callback. You speak directly with the Maryland family immigration attorney who is building your file.
Call Movahedi Law Group at (202) 255-3355 to schedule a private consultation. Babak will review your relationship, your status, the current Visa Bulletin, and the right filing strategy for your family. Maryland families across Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, Baltimore, and the rest of the state trust the firm with the cases that matter most. You can do the same. Pick up the phone today and start the process.
Need an immigration attorney? Movahedi Law Group helps clients handle every stage of the U.S. immigration process. With more than 30 years of legal experience, attorney Babak Movahedi works directly with you to resolve your case.
Need an immigration attorney? Movahedi Law Group helps clients handle every stage of the U.S. immigration process. With more than 30 years of legal experience, attorney Babak Movahedi works directly with you to resolve your case.