Family preference categories and how to read the Visa Bulletin

The five family preference categories

Each category has its own annual allocation, and demand varies widely. Some countries with heavy demand, such as Mexico, the Philippines, India and China, have separate columns in the Visa Bulletin and often longer waits. Your chargeability is usually based on your country of birth, not your citizenship.

• F1: unmarried sons and daughters, age 21 or older, of US citizens
• F2A: spouses and unmarried children under 21 of permanent residents
• F2B: unmarried sons and daughters, age 21 or older, of permanent residents
• F3: married sons and daughters of US citizens
• F4: brothers and sisters of US citizens who are at least 21

Priority dates and the two charts

Your priority date is generally the date USCIS received the I-130 petition. It appears on the receipt and approval notices. You keep it as long as the petition stays valid, and in some situations it carries over when your category changes.

Each Visa Bulletin has two family charts. Final action dates show when a green card or immigrant visa can actually be issued. Dates for filing show when applicants can start the next step, such as submitting documents to the National Visa Center. For people adjusting status inside the United States, USCIS announces each month which chart it will accept for filing Form I-485. If your priority date is earlier than the date listed for your category and country, your date is current.

When life events change your category

Family events can move you to a different line. If a permanent resident petitioner naturalizes, an F2A spouse or child under 21 becomes an immediate relative, and an F2B son or daughter moves to F1. If an F1 beneficiary marries, the case converts to F3. Marriage ends F2B eligibility entirely, because there is no category for married children of permanent residents.

A child who turns 21 may lose a place in a category, but the Child Status Protection Act can freeze or reduce the child's age for immigration purposes in many cases. The calculation is technical and depends on dates in your case, and there are steps you may need to take within one year after a visa number becomes available. Get the calculation done before the birthday, not after.