FAMILY-BASED IMMIGRATION

Historically, family reunification has been the principal policy underpinning U.S. immigration law.  Family-based immigration, a tightly regulated system, allows for close relatives of U.S. Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents (LPR) to rejoin their families here in America. 

Family-based immigrants are admitted to the U.S. either as immediate relatives of U.S. citizens or through the family preference system.

Immediate Relatives are:

·        Spouses of U.S. citizens;

·        Unmarried minor children of U.S. citizens; and

·        Parents of U.S. citizens.

There is no cap on the number of visas available every year for immediate relatives.

            The Family Preference System allows into the U.S.:

·        Adult children (unmarried and married) and brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens; and

·        Spouses and unmarried children (minor and adult) of LPRs.

There are a limited number of visas available every year under the Family Preference System.  Under current immigration law, visas are allocated as follows:

 

The Family Preference System

U.S. Sponsor                Relationship                            Preference #                Visa Allocated

U.S. Citizen                 unmarried adult children         1st Preference              23,400visas/yr[1]

LPR                             spouses and minor children     2nd A Preference         87,900 visas/yr           

LPR                             unmarried adult children         2nd B Preference         26,300 visas/yr

                                    (21 yrs or older)

U.S. Citizen                 married adult children             3rd Preference             23,400 visas/yr[2]

U.S. Citizen                 brothers and sisters                  4th Preference             65,000 visas/yr[3]

(21 yrs or older)          

 

34GR8066 / Last Updated October 8, 1999


[1] Plus any visas left over from the 4th preference.

[2] Plus any visas left over from the 1st and 2nd preferences.

[3] Plus any visas left over from the previous preferences.