Friends, cousins, uncles, aunts or anyone who is not your immediate relative are not eligible for be sponsored by you to be a U.S. resident. However, if they have a U.S. citizen child, spouse, parent or sibling related to your family, they might have a chance to become a U.S. residency in the future. The term "chain migration" applies to the scenario we just described above. Basically, a new immigrant can sponsor their own immediate or extended family members that the original sponsoring family member could not sponsor. For example, if your uncle is your mother's brother and your mother is a U.S. permanent resident (green card holder) because you sponsored your mother for the U.S. residency. Once your mother becomes a naturalized U.S. citizen, she will be able to petition for her brother (your uncle). Your uncle can then sponsor his own immediate relatives such as spouse, parents and unmarried children to the U.S.