US outlines two family visa options for permanent residence

The route to permanent residence through family sponsorship depends first on which relationship an applicant has to a US citizen or lawful permanent resident. The US State Department has outlined two main categories in its September 2026 Visa Bulletin: Immediate Relative visas and Family Preference visas.

Immediate Relative visas cover spouses of US citizens, unmarried children under 21, and parents of citizens who are at least 21. The category does not face an annual numerical limit. Applicants must still obtain an immigrant visa and meet the requirements for their specific category.

“

The fiscal year 2026 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants determined in accordance with Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) is 226,000.

Family Preference visas cover a wider range of relationships, but applicants may have to wait for a visa to become available. The category includes unmarried adult sons and daughters of US citizens, spouses and unmarried children of lawful permanent residents, married sons and daughters of US citizens, and brothers and sisters of adult US citizens.

The bulletin sets the fiscal 2026 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants at 226,000. It also lists five preference categories: F1, F2A, F2B, F3 and F4. For September, it gives final action dates of January 22, 2020, for F1 applicants from most chargeability areas, August 22, 2026, for F2A, August 22, 2019, for F2B, October 22, 2014, for F3, and October 22, 2011, for F4. Applicants chargeable to China, India, Mexico and the Philippines have separate dates because of country-specific limits and demand. The distinction is particularly relevant to Nigerians seeking to relocate through family sponsorship, because Immediate Relative visas are not subject to the same annual limits.

“

five family-sponsored preference categories: F1 for unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens; F2A for spouses and children of permanent residents; F2B for unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 or older of permanent residents; F3 for married sons and daughters of US citizens; and F4 for brothers and sisters of adult US citizens.