Family-Based Immigration & the I-130 Petition

Immigration is federal law and policy changes frequently. This is general information, not legal advice — verify current rules at uscis.gov and consult a qualified immigration attorney.

The most common path to a U.S. green card is through family. It starts with a petition and depends heavily on who is sponsoring whom.

Step 1: the I-130 petition

A U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident sponsors a qualifying relative by filing Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative. Important: an approved I-130 does not grant any status — it simply establishes the relationship and creates a place in line.

Immediate relatives — no waiting line

Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens have unlimited immigrant visas (always available, no annual cap):

• Spouse of a U.S. citizen,
• Unmarried child under 21 of a U.S. citizen,
• Parent of a U.S. citizen who is 21 or older.

Family preference categories — limited, with waits

Other relatives fall into numerically limited categories that can wait years (tracked by the Visa Bulletin):

Category	Who
F1	Unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens
F2A	Spouses and minor children of green card holders
F2B	Unmarried adult children of green card holders
F3	Married children of U.S. citizens
F4	Siblings of U.S. citizens (citizen must be 21+)

Step 2: getting the green card

Once a visa is available, the relative becomes a permanent resident through adjustment of status (Form I-485) if they’re in the U.S., or consular processing if abroad.

Wait times and the Visa Bulletin change constantly, so we don’t list them here. To get matched with a local immigration attorney, connect with a lawyer. See also the immigration overview and green cards.