Family Preference Priority Dates 2026: FB1, FB2A, FB2B, FB3, FB4 Explained

Family preference green cards exist for relatives of US citizens and permanent residents who fall outside the immediate relative category. Immediate relatives, meaning spouses, unmarried children under twenty one, and parents of US citizens, have no annual numerical limit and generally do not face a waiting line at all. Everyone else eligible for a family-based green card falls into one of five family preference categories, each with its own annual allocation of visa numbers and its own backlog driven by demand relative to that limited annual supply.

FB1 covers unmarried sons and daughters, age twenty one or older, of US citizens. This category carries a moderate backlog overall, with Philippines and Mexico-born applicants facing meaningfully longer waits than applicants born elsewhere due to how per-country limits interact with high demand from those two countries specifically.

FB2A covers spouses and unmarried children under twenty one of lawful permanent residents. This is generally the family preference category with the shortest backlog, often near current for most countries of birth. The Philippines is a notable exception, facing a longer wait in FB2A than most other countries, though still shorter than the waits seen in FB2B, FB3, or FB4.

FB2B covers unmarried sons and daughters, age twenty one or older, of lawful permanent residents. This category carries a noticeably longer backlog than FB2A, since aging out of the FB2A category at twenty one moves an applicant into FB2B, adding to demand at this tier without a corresponding increase in the annual visa allocation.

FB3 covers married sons and daughters of US citizens, regardless of age. This category carries a significant backlog overall, generally longer than FB1 or FB2A, reflecting both a smaller annual allocation and steady demand from citizens' married adult children across many countries of birth.

FB4 covers brothers and sisters of US citizens who are twenty one or older. This is the family preference category with by far the longest backlog, often stretching ten to fifteen or more years for most countries, and considerably longer for Philippines and Mexico-born applicants specifically, since sibling sponsorship generates enormous cumulative demand against a comparatively small annual visa allocation.

Your priority date in the family preference system is the date USCIS received your I-130 petition, generally reflected as the approval date on your I-130 approval notice, though the receipt date is the actual anchor point rather than the later approval date itself. This priority date must fall before the current cutoff date published in the monthly Visa Bulletin for your specific category and country of birth before you can move forward with an immigrant visa application or, if eligible, an adjustment of status filing.

The Philippines faces severe backlogs across FB1, FB2A, FB3, and FB4, with some current cutoff dates reaching back to the early 2000s in the most backlogged categories. Mexico similarly faces severe backlogs in FB1, FB2B, FB3, and FB4, driven by decades of sustained high petition volume relative to the per-country annual limit. China and India face less severe family preference backlogs than they do in employment-based categories, but waits in several family categories still stretch into multiple years. Applicants born in all other countries generally face shorter waits across every family preference category, since demand from the rest of the world does not approach the volume seen from these higher-demand countries.

The table below gives a general sense of estimated wait ranges by category and country of birth, based on recent Visa Bulletin movement patterns.

| Category | Philippines | Mexico | China / India | Rest of World | |---|---|---|---|---| | FB1 | 10-15+ years | 5-10 years | 2+ years | 2+ years | | FB2A | 2+ years | 2+ years | Near current | Near current | | FB2B | 10-15+ years | 10-15+ years | 5-10 years | 2+ years | | FB3 | 10-15+ years | 10-15+ years | 5-10 years | 2+ years | | FB4 | 15-20+ years | 15-20+ years | 10-15+ years | 10-15+ years |

These figures are general estimates based on historical movement patterns and can shift with policy changes or fluctuations in annual visa number allocation.

The Visa Bulletin is published monthly by the State Department, typically appearing around the second week of each month, and it applies to filings for the month immediately following its release. Two charts are relevant each month: the Final Action Dates chart, which shows when a green card can actually be issued, and the Dates for Filing chart, which shows when you can submit an adjustment of status application if you are inside the United States. USCIS announces at the start of each month which of the two charts applies for adjustment of status filing purposes, so checking both is necessary to know your actual filing eligibility.

If you are inside the United States on a nonimmigrant visa, maintaining valid status throughout the wait is essential, since falling out of status can create complications later even after your priority date becomes current. If you are already a lawful permanent resident sponsoring a relative, keep your own green card current and renew it as needed. Notify USCIS promptly of any address changes, since missed correspondence can delay your case. And keep your I-130 petition active by responding to any requests for additional information from USCIS during the wait.

PriorityPath tracks your family preference priority date against the monthly Visa Bulletin automatically, sending an alert the moment your specific category and country combination becomes current or moves closer to your priority date. It also calculates your estimated wait time based on historical movement patterns, giving you a realistic planning horizon rather than requiring you to manually compare bulletin releases each month.