One guiding principle of American immigration policy is preserving family unity, outlined by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The INA sets numerical ceilings for five family-based admission categories, with an unlimited number of immediate relatives qualifying for Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR or “Green Card”) status each year. Immediate relatives include spouses, parents, and widows/widowers of U.S. citizens.

However, due to higher demand, there’s a backlog for family-sponsored preferences, leading to a waiting queue for available visas. The Department of State (DOS) releases a monthly Visa Bulletin with “cut-off dates” for numerically restricted family-based admissions categories, indicating the first approval dates for processed petitions. The family-sponsored preference categories include:

1. F1: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens
2. F2:
   • F2A: Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents
   • F2B: Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years or older) of Permanent Residents
3. F3: Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens
4. F4: Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens