US Announces 4 Family-Sponsored Visa Preference Classes with Their Coverage
- Section 203(a) of the US Immigration and Nationality Act defines four family-sponsored immigrant visa preference classes
- Spouses and children of permanent residents get the largest allocation, with 114,200 visas available under the second preference
- Brothers and sisters of adult US citizens qualify under the fourth preference, with 65,000 visas set aside annually
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The United States Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sets out four preference categories under Section 203(a) that determine how family-sponsored immigrant visas are distributed each year.
It includes a separate numerical limits and eligibility rules applying to each group.
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Who qualifies under the first and second preferences
According to US, the first preference, known as F1, covers unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens. This category receives 23,400 visas annually, plus any numbers left unused by the fourth preference.
The second preference is the largest allocation and is split into two sub-categories. F2A covers spouses and children of lawful permanent residents and accounts for 77% of the total second preference allocation.
Notably, 75% of F2A numbers are exempt from the per-country limit, which can benefit applicants from high-demand countries.
F2B applies to unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 and older who have a parent with permanent resident status and receives 23% of the second preference total. The combined second preference pool stands at 114,200 visas, plus any surplus from the first preference and any amount by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000.
Third and fourth preference categories
The third preference, F3, is for married sons and daughters of US citizens. This group is allotted 23,400 visas per year, with the possibility of additional numbers carried over from unused first and second preference allocations.
The fourth and final preference category, F4, applies to brothers and sisters of adult US citizens, where the petitioning citizen must be at least 21 years old. This category receives 65,000 visas annually, with any unused numbers from the first three preferences added to the pool.
Together, these four categories form the backbone of the United States family-based immigration system, establishing the order and volume in which immigrant visas are issued to qualifying relatives of US citizens and permanent residents each year.
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