Other groups of family members of U.S. Citizens or permanent residents can qualify to immigrate to the United States, but are not considered “preferred” as they are not considered immediate relatives of citizens. Unfortunately, because there is only a limited number of visas available each year, these groups have been divided into “preference” categories, ranking them in the order they are preferred for immigration.
Essentially the higher the preference, the more quickly a visa will be allotted to an applicant.
|
Family Relationship |
Order of Preference |
|
Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens over the age of 21 |
First Preference |
|
Spouses and unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents |
Second Preference |
|
Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens |
Third Preference |
|
Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens where petitioner is 21 or older |
Fourth Preference |
