Mother’s Day: A Historical Look
Three women have been attributed with the collective origination of Mother’s Day. Ann Reeves Jarvis, known as “Mother Jarvis” was an Appalachian homemaker and lifelong activist who, in the mid-1800s, organized “Mothers’ Day Work Clubs” in West Virginia to provide education and help mothers who needed it the most. Active during the Civil War, Mother Jarvis also organized women’s brigades. Post-war, she proposed a Mothers’ Friendship Day to promote peace between former Union and Confederate families.
Julia Ward Howe, a famous poet and reformer known for authoring the famous Civil War anthem, “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” represented the next voice in the Mother’s Day movement. After personally seeing the cruelty of war, Ward Howe called for mothers to join together to prevent the senseless injury and loss of life. She founded the “Mother’s Day for Peace” and around 1870, called for a “Mother’s Day Proclamation,” Ward Howe’s version of Mother’s Day lasted for about 30 years leading up to World War I.
“Motherhood: All love begins and ends there.”
Robert Browning
Social activist, and daughter of Ann Reeves Jarvis, Anna Jarvis picked up the Mother’s Day torch as she sought to memorialize her mother’s life and honor all mothers by making Mother’s Day a national holiday. Her intent focused on honoring mothers and the sacrifices of motherhood. Jarvis held the first celebration in May of 1908. By 1912, celebrations were held nationally and Jarvis formed the Mother’s Day International Association to promote her campaign for making the holiday official.
In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a bill designating the second Sunday in May as a legal holiday to be called “Mother’s Day”—dedicated “to the best mother in the world, your mother.”
Modern Day Celebration
Today, Mother’s Day continues to evolve and expand, celebrating all those who champion and fulfill the role of mothering – whether mother, grandmother, aunts and more. Beyond carnations and roses, Hallmark cards and other commercialization of the holiday, the team at AVA Global recognizes the importance of mothers all over the world and the selfless contributions made by those who embody the role of mothering.
“A mother’s arms are more comforting than anyone else’s.”
Princess Diana
Mothers and the IR-5 Visa
US citizens (age 21 and over) have the ability to bring their parents to lawfully live and work in the United States by obtaining an IR5 Visa (a family based green card). Parents of U.S. Citizens are categorized as immediate relatives under immigration law (along with a spouse and unmarried children under age 21) and are given priority. There is an unlimited number of immigrant visas available to immediate relatives.
The application path to an IR5 Visa is made up of three parts requiring several forms to be filed with US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and/or the U.S. Department of State.
To get started, Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, establishes a qualifying relationship with a foreign national relative by an US citizen or permanent resident. The petition also communicates the intention to help that person obtain a green card in the United States. An I-130 approval clears the way for an individual to apply for a green card (lawful permanent residence). Please Note: An I-130 approval does not give the beneficiary lawful status in the United States. It is a prerequisite to filing and application for a green card.
Next steps depend on whether the parent currently resides in the US or outside of the US. For those already in the US, the process starts with an adjustment of status and would file Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. The USCIS considers the following three fundamental requires to adjust status (although additional factors may also be considered for an approval):
- Be physically present in the United States;
- Have an immigrant visa immediately available; and
- Have a lawful entry to the United States.
For foreign nationals residing outside the US, USCIS will send files to the National Visa Center (NVC) which will coordinate the transfer of the case to the US consulate in the country where your parent resides. This is known as consular processing. The NVC process most likely includes the following steps: completing Form DS-261 to assign an agent, payment of Immigrant Visa Application Processing fee and Affidavit of Support fee, submission of the Immigrant Visa Application (Form DS-260) through the Department of State website, and submission of various civil records and Form I-864 Affidavit of Support (including all financial supporting documents). This part of the process can take approximately six to 10 weeks, or more if there are significant backlogs.
When the NVC is satisfied that the correct document submissions and fee payments have been completed, the next step will be scheduling an interview at the US embassy or consulate. Applicants will also undergo a medical examination performed by an authorized physician and obtain certain vaccinations before the government will issue the visa.
If you are a US citizen over the age of 21 and would like professional assistance to sponsor your mother (or father and/or qualifying immediate relative), you can schedule a consultation with us here. Our United States immigration attorneys are licensed to practice immigration law in all 50 states and at United States consulates and embassies across the globe!