Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens (F1) Visa
The F1 visa is not specifically for unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens. Instead, the F1 visa is a non-immigrant student visa that allows foreign nationals to study in the United States at accredited academic institutions, such as colleges, universities, and language schools.
If you are the unmarried son or daughter of a U.S. citizen and you want to immigrate to the United States to join your parent, you would typically fall under the family-sponsored immigration category. U.S. citizens can sponsor certain family members for green cards (permanent residency), and this includes unmarried sons and daughters.
The process generally involves the following steps:
- Your U.S. citizen parent files an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative on your behalf, establishing the qualifying relationship between you and your parent.
- Once the I-130 petition is approved by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), it is sent to the National Visa Center (NVC) for further processing.
- The NVC will provide instructions on submitting visa application forms, fees, and supporting documents.
- After completing the necessary steps with the NVC, you will attend an immigrant visa interview at the U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country.
- If approved, you will receive an immigrant visa in your passport, which allows you to travel to the United States as a permanent resident.
- Upon arrival in the United States, you will become a lawful permanent resident (green card holder).
Spouses and Children of Green Card Holders (F2A)
The F2A visa category is specifically for spouses and unmarried children (under 21 years old) of green card holders (lawful permanent residents) in the United States. This category is part of family-sponsored immigration to the United States. Here’s an overview of the F2A visa category:
- Petition by the Green Card Holder: The process typically starts with the green card holder filing an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative on behalf of their spouse and unmarried children under 21 years of age.
- Priority Date: The filing date of the I-130 petition establishes a “priority date” for the beneficiaries (spouse and children). The priority date is crucial because it determines when the beneficiaries can proceed with the visa application process. Visa numbers are subject to annual limits, and the priority date must be current for the beneficiaries to move forward.
- Waiting for a Visa Number: Unlike immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, who have unlimited visa numbers available, the F2A category is subject to numerical limitations. This means that beneficiaries may need to wait for their priority date to become current before they can proceed with the visa application process.
- Consular Processing: Once the priority date becomes current and visa numbers are available, the spouse and unmarried children can proceed with consular processing. This involves applying for an immigrant visa at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country. They will attend an immigrant visa interview as part of this process.
- Immigrant Visa Issuance: If approved, the spouse and children will be issued immigrant visas, which allow them to travel to the United States to join the green card holder.
- Entry and Adjustment of Status: After entering the United States with an immigrant visa, the spouse and children will become lawful permanent residents (green card holders). They can then apply for a green card, which is typically issued with a conditional status if the marriage is less than two years old. After two years, they can apply to remove the conditions and obtain a permanent green card.
Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Green Card Holders (F2B)
The F2B visa category is for unmarried sons and daughters (21 years of age or older) of green card holders (lawful permanent residents) in the United States. This category is part of family-sponsored immigration, and it allows green card holders to petition for their adult unmarried children to immigrate to the United States. Here’s an overview of the F2B visa category:
- Petition by the Green Card Holder: The process typically begins with the green card holder filing an I-130 Petition for Alien Relative on behalf of their unmarried sons and daughters who are 21 years of age or older. Each adult child must have their own separate petition filed by the green card holder.
- Priority Date: The filing date of the I-130 petition establishes a “priority date” for each beneficiary (unmarried sons and daughters). The priority date is important because it determines when the beneficiaries can proceed with the visa application process. Visa numbers are subject to annual limits, and the priority date must be current for the beneficiaries to move forward.
- Waiting for a Visa Number: The F2B category is also subject to numerical limitations, which means beneficiaries may need to wait for their priority date to become current before they can proceed with the visa application process. The wait times can vary depending on factors like the beneficiary’s country of chargeability and the demand for visas.
- Consular Processing: Once the priority date becomes current and visa numbers are available, the adult unmarried sons and daughters can proceed with consular processing. This involves applying for an immigrant visa at the U.S. embassy or consulate in their home country. They will attend an immigrant visa interview as part of this process.
- Immigrant Visa Issuance: If approved, the adult unmarried sons and daughters will be issued immigrant visas, which allow them to travel to the United States to join their green card holder parent.
- Entry and Adjustment of Status: After entering the United States with an immigrant visa, the adult unmarried sons and daughters will become lawful permanent residents (green card holders). They can then apply for a green card, which is typically issued with a conditional status if the marriage is less than two years old. After two years, they can apply to remove the conditions and obtain a permanent green card.
