US Family Based Immigration

US Family-Based Immigration Categories

Immediate Relative Immigrant Visas (No Annual Limit)

Category	Who Qualifies	Processing Time
IR-1	Spouses of US citizens	12-18 months
IR-2	Unmarried children (<21) of US citizens	12-18 months
IR-5	Parents of US citizens (if sponsor is 21+)	12-24 months

Family Preference Categories (Annual Quotas)

Category	Who Qualifies	Current Wait Time
F1	Unmarried sons/daughters (21+) of US citizens	7+ years
F2A	Spouses/children of green card holders	2-3 years
F2B	Unmarried sons/daughters (21+) of green card holders	6+ years
F3	Married children of US citizens	10+ years
F4	Siblings of US citizens	12+ years

Eligibility Requirements for Sponsors

• Must be US citizen or lawful permanent resident
• Minimum age: 18 years old
• Meet income requirements (125% of poverty guidelines)
• File Affidavit of Support (Form I-864)
• Prove relationship with documentation

Application Process

For US Citizens Sponsoring Immediate Relatives:

• File Form I-130(Petition for Alien Relative)
• Wait for approval(3-12 months)
• Apply for immigrant visa(Consular Processing) or Adjust Status(if beneficiary is in US)
• Complete medical exam & biometrics
• Attend green card interview
• Receive decision

For Preference Categories:

• File I-130
• Wait for priority date to become current(check Visa Bulletin)
• Complete NVC processing
• Attend consular interview
• Enter US and receive green card

Required Documents

For Sponsor:

• Proof of US status (citizenship certificate/green card)
• Tax returns (last 3 years)
• Employment verification
• Birth/marriage certificates proving relationship

For Beneficiary:

• Passport
• Birth certificate
• Police certificates
• Medical examination results
• Divorce/death certificates (if applicable)

Income Requirements

Sponsors must meet 125% of federal poverty guidelines:

Household Size	Minimum Annual Income
2 people	$24,650
4 people	$37,750
6 people	$50,850

Note: Can use joint sponsors if income is insufficient

Conditional Permanent Residence

• Applies to spouses married <2 years at time of approval
• Must file Form I-751 within 90 days before 2nd anniversary
• Joint petition required (with exceptions for abused spouses)

Common Reasons for Denial

• Insufficient financial support
• Fraud/misrepresentation
• Criminal history
• Public charge concerns
• Incomplete documentation