Immigration - Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions On Immigration

Citizens' Parents For A Visit

Q. I am an US citizen. How can I get my father to come to US for a visit?

A. Having a US citizen child may make it harder for your father to get a visitor's visa. That's because to get the visa, your father must prove he'll return home after his visit. With a US citizen child here, the officer may think that your father wants to live permanently in US. You might not be aware that on Nov. 10, 1986, the law changed, giving even illegitimate children the right to petition for their fathers.

Should your father decide he wants an immigrant visa, you can petition for him if you two established a bona fide father/child relationship before you turned 21. The Board of Immigration Appeals has defined a bona fide relationship as is one with "emotional and/or financial" ties, "where the father demonstrates or has demonstrated an active concern for the child's support, instruction and general welfare."

Besides showing a typical father/child relationship, you'll need to prove he is your natural father. You can try doing that with an affidavit from your mother or other relatives. If that doesn't work, you can use DNA blood tests. If you were to petition for your father, and all went well, he could be here with an immigrant visa in six to nine months.

(By Alan Wernick)

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