Nigerians Seeking US Green Cards: Key Family Visa Categories and September 2026 Dates
- The US government has listed two family visa categories that Nigerians can apply for to get permanent residency
- Immediate Relative visas allow for quicker immigration without annual caps for certain US citizen family members
- The government also issued priority dates for each category applicants can apply for
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Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
For Nigerians hoping to relocate permanently to the United States through a family member, the US government recognises two broad family-based immigrant visa routes: Immediate Relative visas and Family Preference visas.
The distinction matters because some family members of US citizens can obtain immigrant visas without being subject to the annual numerical limits that apply to preference categories, while others must wait for a visa number to become available.
Source: Twitter
The US Department of State outlined the current position in its September 2026 Visa Bulletin, which sets out the latest priority dates for family-sponsored immigrant visas.
Immediate Relative visas have no annual cap
The Immediate Relative category is generally available to certain close relatives of US citizens.
It covers spouses of US citizens, unmarried children under 21 of US citizens, and parents of US citizens who are at least 21 years old.
Unlike family-preference categories, Immediate Relative visas are not subject to an annual numerical limit.
This can make the route significantly more straightforward for qualifying applicants, although applicants must still satisfy the relevant immigration requirements and complete the required visa process, according to a Punch report.
For Nigerians living outside the US, an approved family petition does not automatically grant permanent residence.
The beneficiary still has to complete the immigrant visa process before travelling to the US as a permanent resident. USCIS also states that approval of Form I-130 by itself does not give the beneficiary automatic lawful permanent resident status.
Family Preference visas have waiting periods
The second route is the Family Preference system. It covers certain relatives of US citizens and lawful permanent residents, also known as green-card holders.
The categories are:
- F1: Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens
- F2A: Spouses and children of lawful permanent residents
- F2B: Unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 or older of permanent residents
- F3: Married sons and daughters of US citizens
- F4: Brothers and sisters of adult US citizens
These visas are numerically limited, so applicants are placed in line according to their priority dates. The worldwide family-sponsored preference limit for fiscal year 2026 is 226,000, Vanguard reported.
What the September 2026 dates mean for Nigerians
Nigeria falls under the Visa Bulletin's “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed” column because the separately listed countries are China, India, Mexico and the Philippines.
For September 2026, the final action dates for that group are January 22, 2020, for F1; August 22, 2026, for F2A; August 22, 2019, for F2B; October 22, 2014, for F3; and October 22, 2011, for F4.
In practical terms, an applicant's priority date generally needs to be earlier than the applicable final action date before a visa can be issued in that category.
The September bulletin also shows F2A as current in the Dates for Filing chart for all chargeability areas.
However, applicants should not assume that means everyone can immediately complete every stage of the process.
USCIS determines which chart applies to adjustment-of-status cases, while Nigerians applying from outside the US generally proceed through consular processing.
Key steps Nigerians should understand
The process normally begins with the qualifying US citizen or permanent resident filing a Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, with USCIS.
Once an eligible petition is approved and the case is ready for immigrant visa processing, it can move to the Department of State's National Visa Centre for further processing.
Applicants then complete the required documentation and other stages of the immigrant visa process before an interview and final decision.
Because family-preference visas are limited, filing earlier can establish an earlier priority date, which can be important when demand creates long waiting periods.
USCIS notes that family-preference cases are processed according to the order in which properly filed petitions are accepted.
Visa dates can change
Nigerians should also avoid treating the September figures as permanent deadlines.
Source: Twitter
The State Department warns that increased demand could lead to retrogression, meaning a previously advanced cut-off date could move backwards. A category could also become unavailable if its annual allocation is reached.
For Nigerians planning a permanent move to America through family sponsorship, the key issue is therefore not simply finding a visa category.
It is identifying the correct relationship, filing the appropriate petition, securing a priority date where applicable and monitoring the monthly Visa Bulletin carefully.
US announces 4 relatives citizens can bring
Legit.ng earlier reported that the United States government has outlined the conditions under which a foreign citizen can obtain a family-based immigrant visa to live permanently in the country, specifying the relatives that American citizens and green-card holders are eligible to sponsor.
According to official guidance published by the US Department of State, any foreign national wishing to relocate permanently to the US must first secure an immigrant visa.
Source: Legit.ng
