Immigration Through Marriage To be eligible for lawful permanent residence based on a family relationship you must meet the following criteria: Requirements You must have a relative who is a United States citizen or a lawful permanent resident of the United States who can provide documentation proving their status and is willing to sponsor you for lawful permanent residency by filing the I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. class="bodytext">Your relative must prove they can support you by providing documentation that their income is 125% above the mandated poverty line for their family, including you and all other sponsored family members. Click here to find out more information about meeting this criteria and filing the Affidavit of Support. If your relative is a US Citizen and they can legally prove you share one of the following relationships, you may be eligible for lawful permanent residency, please see below for preference category information. Husband or wife; child under 21 years old; Unmarried son or daughter over 21; Married son or daughter of any age; Brother or sister if you are at least 21 years old; or Parents if you are at least 21 years old. If your relative is a lawful permanent resident and they can legally prove you share one of the following relationships, you may be eligible for lawful permanent residence, please see below for preference category information: Husband or wife; or Unmarried son or daughter of any age.