Two groups of family-based immigrant visa categories – immediate relatives and family preference – are provided under the provisions of United States immigration law, specifically the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). You can learn more about these two categories of immigrant visas on usvisas.state.gov.
To apply for an immediate relative or family preference immigrant visas, follow the steps on the Immigrant Visa Process on usvisas.state.gov. Once you have completed those steps, review the instructions given to you by the National Visa Center (NVC), along with the information presented on this website, for further guidance and instructions.
The immigrant visa process begins when an American citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident files a petition with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) of the Department of Homeland Security. U.S. citizens may file petitions for their fiancé(e), children, spouses, parents, and siblings. Lawful Permanent Residents may file petitions for their unmarried children and spouses.
For additional information regarding the petition process, please follow the USCIS links below.
- How Do I Bring My Child, Son or Daughter to Live in the United States?
- How Do I Bring My Spouse (Husband or Wife) to Live in the United States?
- How Do I Bring My Fiancé(e) to the United States?
- How Do I Bring My Parents to Live in the United States?
- How Do I Bring a Sibling to Live in the United States?
