Family-Sponsored Visas

Preference Categories: People who are close relatives of U.S. citizens and legally admitted permanent resident aliens are limited to a total of 480,000 visas per year. Immediate relatives are included in this number, as are preference relatives, but there is no limit on the number of visas which may be issued to immediate relatives. Preference relatives receive all of the visas not used by immediate relatives, but in no case less than 226,000 visas per year. Family-based preference categories subject to the numerical limit are divided into four preference categories:
First preference: unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens and their children;
Second preference: spouses, children, and unmarried sons and daughters of legal permanent resident aliens;
Third preference: married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, their spouses and their children;
Fourth preference: the brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens, their spouses and their children, provided the U.S. citizen is twenty-one years of age or older;

Petitions

Applicants for family-sponsored immigrant visas who believe they are entitled to immigrant status based on one of the above-mentioned preference categories should request the appropriate relative to file a petition (Form I-130) with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the United States.

» Read more about family-sponsored immigrant visas.

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