Alexis is from Costa Rica. When he was just 17, he became a father. He never married Esther, the mother of his son Jaime, and they never lived together. His name is not on his son's birth certificate. At 20, Alexis acknowledged to his family that he is the father of Jaime. Alexis' parents were elated because this is their first grandchild. They established a relationship with Esther and began to take Jaime into their home for weeks at a time to take care of him so that Esther could work to support herself and her son. Alexis maintained little contact with his son and traveled to the United States three years later, where he met his wife, a U.S. citizen. After Alexis became an LPR, he began to think about his son in Costa Rica, who is now living exclusively with his parents because Esther abandoned him to them when she found a new partner. Alexis has occasionally sent money to his parents to help them take care of Jaime. Alexis and his wife learn that they cannot have children and decide they would one day like to apply for Jaime to come to the United States to live with them.

Based on the nature of the relationship between Alexis and Jaime currently, is it likely that a family-sponsored immigrant visa petition would be approved? If not, what could Alexis do now to improve the chances of an approval?