Sudan → United States: the Family-based green card roadmap
The US family-based green card lets US citizens and lawful permanent residents (green card holders) sponsor close relatives for permanent residence. Immediate relatives of US citizens (spouse, parent, unmarried child under 21) have no annual quota and are processed fastest, typically under 15 months; all other family preference categories face capped visas and multi-year Visa Bulletin backlogs ranging from about 3 years to well over a decade depending on category and country of birth. The single hardest gate is the sponsor financial requirement, the Affidavit of Support (Form I-864), which requires income at or above 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Moving from Sudan
- You apply for the Family-based green card at the United States consulate, embassy, or visa application centre that serves Sudan, confirm the office and the current appointment wait for your region.
- Qualifications and work experience earned in Sudan usually need a credential assessment or recognition before they count toward United States's requirements.
- Budget for certified translation and apostille or legalisation of your Sudan documents (degree, police certificate, civil records).
- Check whether a Sudan passport needs a short-stay visa for any in-person biometrics or interview steps.
General guidance for any Sudan to United States applicant; the eligibility and fees below are set by United States.
At a glance
Who qualifies
- Have a qualifying relationship to a US citizen (spouse, parent, child, or sibling) or a green card holder (spouse or unmarried child)
- Sponsor must be a US citizen or lawful permanent resident, aged 18 or older, and domiciled in the US
- Sponsor must meet the I-864 income requirement of 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines for household size (100 percent for active-duty military sponsoring a spouse or child)
- Beneficiary must be admissible, with no disqualifying criminal, immigration, health, or security grounds
- For preference categories, an immigrant visa number must be available per the monthly Visa Bulletin before final approval
- Marriage-based cases must show a bona fide (genuine) marriage, not entered into for immigration purposes
Your step-by-step roadmap
Phase 1: File the petition (Form I-130)
- Sponsor files Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with proof of the qualifying relationship
- Pay the 675 USD filing fee and submit supporting evidence such as marriage or birth certificates
- Await USCIS approval; immediate relatives proceed directly, while preference categories then wait for a Visa Bulletin priority date
Phase 2: Apply for the green card
- If in the US with a current priority date, file Form I-485 to adjust status (often concurrently with I-130 for immediate relatives); if abroad, file Form DS-260 through the National Visa Center for consular processing
- Submit the sponsor Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) proving income at or above 125 percent of the poverty guidelines
- Optionally file I-765 (work permit) and I-131 (travel permit) while the I-485 is pending
Phase 3: Biometrics, interview, and decision
- Attend the biometrics appointment and complete the immigration medical exam
- Attend the USCIS or consular interview with the sponsor (for marriage cases, both spouses)
- Receive the immigrant visa or approval; the green card is issued, as a conditional 2-year card if married less than 2 years at approval
Phase 4: Maintain residence and naturalize
- If issued a conditional card, file Form I-751 within the 90 days before its 2-year expiry to remove conditions
- Maintain continuous residence and physical presence as a permanent resident
- File Form N-400 after 5 years (or 3 years if married to and living with a US citizen) to apply for citizenship
Government fees
Timeline & path to citizenship
Timeline: End to end, an immediate relative of a US citizen typically completes the process in roughly 8 to 15 months, while family preference categories take several years to well over a decade because of capped visas and Visa Bulletin backlogs that vary by category and country of birth.
Citizenship: Approval grants a 10-year green card (or a conditional 2-year card if married under 2 years, converted via Form I-751); the holder can then naturalize as a US citizen by filing Form N-400 after 5 years of permanent residence, reduced to 3 years for those married to and living with a US citizen.
This is general information to help you plan, not legal advice. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration professional.