There are many incentives associated with becoming a green card holder or U.S. citizen. One of those benefits is that it gives your loved ones a priority status when applying for a visa to come to the U.S.
Not everyone qualifies for the “preference immigrant” visa. Family members eligible for this visa may have different priority statuses depending on their degree of relation to you as a U.S. permanent resident or citizen.
How does the U.S. government prioritize the issuance of the preference visa?
A U.S. citizen’s unmarried adult children that are 21 years of age or over fall into the highest priority status when immigration officials go to award preference immigrant visas.
U.S. permanent residents’ spouses and any of their unmarried children under 21 years of age qualify for the second-highest priority status for this preference immigrant visa, known as F2A. A U.S. permanent resident’s single children, 21 years of age or older, may also fall into this second-highest priority status and thus be eligible for an F2B visa.
A U.S. citizen’s married children may qualify for the third-highest priority consideration for the preference immigrant visa. There aren’t any age limits. The fourth highest priority status for this visa applies to a U.S. citizen’s adult siblings.
Determining whether a family preference visa is right for you
As a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you’d likely want nothing more than to have your family members be able to join you stateside. While pursuing the family preference visa process may be the ideal option to effectuate that, other options are better suited for your unique situation. An attorney will want to know more about your family dynamics and the loved ones that you’re looking to have come here before advising you which immigration strategy you might want to consider pursuing in your case.