Green Card through Family Reunification (Family Preference)
Reunite with your relatives in the United States through the Family Preference system, a pathway that allows applying for permanent residence for children, parents, spouses, and siblings, according to each category.
LOIGICA supports you from the I-130 petition to final approval.
What is the Green Card through Family Reunification
The Green Card through family reunification, within the Family Preference system, allows certain family members of U.S. citizens and permanent residents to obtain permanent residence.
Unlike “Immediate Relatives”, these categories have limited slots, which means waiting until the priority date is available in the Visa Bulletin.
The categories include F1, F2A, F2B, F3, and F4, each with different requirements and timelines. With the right strategy, you can expedite the process and avoid errors that generate delays or denials.
How to Obtain a Green Card through Family Reunification
If you wish to immigrate through the family route, Family Preference categories offer you a clear path to obtain permanent legal status in the United States.
At LOIGICA we guide you through the entire process: from the I-130 petition, Visa Bulletin review, family relationship documentation, and preparation for the consular interview or adjustment of status.
- F-1 Unmarried children over 21 years old of U.S. citizens.
- F-2A Spouses and unmarried children under 21 years old of permanent residents.
- F-2B Unmarried children over 21 years old of permanent residents.
- F-3 Married children of U.S. citizens (includes their nuclear family).
- F-4 Siblings of U.S. citizens (the citizen must be over 21 years old).
- Right to reside, study, and work permanently in the United States.
- Access to derivative permits for spouses and dependent children.
- Possibility of obtaining citizenship in the future.
- Reunification with your immediate family under an established legal pathway.
- Beneficiaries can include spouse and minor children in certain categories (such as F3 and F4).
- Residence does not depend on employment or investment, but on family relationship.
- Submit a properly documented I-130 petition.
- Demonstrate the family relationship with valid documentation (birth, marriage, adoption, etc.).
- The sponsor must be a citizen or permanent resident.
- Prove financial capacity through the Affidavit of Support (I-864).
- Meet admissibility requirements: background, medical examination, security, and personal documentation.
- Wait for the priority date to become available according to the Visa Bulletin (categories with quota).
- Complete consular process or adjustment of status as applicable.
- Eligibility analysis by category (F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4).
- Complete preparation of the I-130 petition with solid evidence of the family relationship.
- Visa Bulletin review and calculation of approximate timelines.
- Personalized immigration strategy for cases with prolonged waits or complex documentation.
- Preparation of I-864, financial documentation, and consular requirements.
- Support in consular interview or adjustment of status.
- Post-approval follow-up until Green Card issuance.
Get together with your family as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Green Card through Family Reunification
The time depends on the category (F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4) and country of origin. Waits can vary from months (F2A at certain times) to 10-15 years for F3 and F4 for countries with high demand.
It is the date when USCIS receives the I-130 petition. It determines your place in the Visa Bulletin queue and when you can advance to the final Green Card process.
Only if you maintain an independent legal status (student, tourist, work, etc.).
The I-130 does not grant immigration status or right to remain.
Not from the petition itself, but if you file adjustment of status (I-485), you can apply for a work permit (EAD).
Yes. In categories like F3 and F4, your dependents can receive derivative benefits.
It depends on the relationship:
- Birth, marriage, or adoption certificates.
- Additional evidence for marriages (photos, trips, shared accounts).
- Documents proving sibling relationship (common parents).
There may be an option called humanitarian reinstatement, but it does not apply automatically and requires legal review.
The I-864 requires income above 125% of the federal poverty level for the sponsored family (depending on household size).
No. Only citizens over the age of 21 can do so (Immediate Relatives category, not Family Preference).