Family-sponsored immigration is a multi-step process that involves both the U.S. relative and the foreign national:
- The U.S. relative submits the Petition for Alien Relative to the USCIS
- USCIS approves the petition and forwards it to the National Visa Center (NVC)
- NVC notifies the foreign relative when an immigrant visa number becomes available
- The foreign relative secures the visa number by adjusting status (if residing in the U.S., or completing the process with the local U.S. Consulate if outside the U.S.)
