Family-based green card: spouses, parents, children and the F1-F4 lines

A family-based green card starts when a U.S. citizen or permanent resident files Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative, to prove the relationship. Spouses, parents and unmarried children under 21 of U.S. citizens wait only for processing, because visas for them are always available. Other relatives wait in the F1-F4 preference lines, often for years.

Who qualifies for a family-based green card

USCIS splits relatives into two groups. "Immediate relatives" of U.S. citizens have no annual cap; USCIS says visas for them are always available. Everyone else falls into a preference category with a yearly limit.

Age and marriage move people between groups. A child who marries or turns 21 leaves the no-wait group for F1 or F3. A citizen can petition for parents only after turning 21. A green card holder cannot petition for parents or siblings at all.

For the other routes to permanent residence, see our green card guide.

The Visa Bulletin and your priority date

The Immigration and Nationality Act sets an annual minimum of family preference visas, and most categories are also subject to a per-country limit.

Your place in line is your priority date: the day USCIS received your I-130. Each month the State Department publishes the Visa Bulletin with two charts:

• Final Action Dates: if your priority date is earlier than the listed date, a visa can be issued.
• Dates for Filing: the National Visa Center (NVC) uses this chart to tell applicants to gather and submit documents.

People adjusting status inside the U.S. use Final Action Dates unless USCIS says on uscis.gov/visabulletininfo that the Dates for Filing chart applies that month. Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan fall under "All Chargeability Areas"; only China, India, Mexico and the Philippines have their own columns. Read the current issue on The Visa Bulletin page. Dates move unevenly and sometimes go backward, so nobody can promise you a month.

Form I-130: the first step

A U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a U.S. national may file. Each relative needs a separate petition. You can file online through a USCIS account or on paper; the current edition is dated 04/01/24, and USCIS may reject pages from another edition.

Filing addresses changed on October 7, 2026. Paper forms go to the Chicago or Phoenix lockbox depending on where you live and whether your relative files Form I-485 at the same time. Packages postmarked by November 9, 2026 and sent to the old address are still accepted. Confirm the address on the Form I-130 page before mailing.

The I-130 only proves the relationship. The green card itself comes through adjustment of status or an immigrant visa.

Adjustment of status or consular processing

Inside the U.S. The relative files Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status. An immediate relative may file it together with the I-130, while the I-130 is pending, or after approval. USCIS requires, with limited exceptions, that the person was inspected and admitted or paroled into the U.S. The packet includes Form I-864 and, if required, the Form I-693 medical exam; without it USCIS may reject the I-485.

Outside the U.S. The approved petition goes to the NVC. It assigns a case number, asks for Form DS-261 (Choice of Address and Agent), and sends fee instructions. The applicant then completes Form DS-260 and uploads documents. Once the file is complete, NVC schedules the embassy interview. Bring the documents on the NVC and embassy lists.

A fiance(e) of a citizen follows a different route; see our K-1 fiance visa guide.

What a family green card costs

Fees checked October 28, 2026 on uscis.gov (Form G-1055, edition 10/26/26) and travel.state.gov. Check the G-1055 fee schedule before paying. USCIS charges no fee for Form I-693, but the medical exam itself is paid to the civil surgeon separately, and the civil surgeon sets the price.

Processing times change monthly and differ by office. Look up your form and office on the Check Case Processing Times page at uscis.gov.

The sponsor and Form I-864

Most family-based immigrants need Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, signed by the petitioner. It is a legally binding contract with the U.S. government to support the relative financially. The sponsor must be at least 18, keep a domicile in the U.S., and show income of at least 125% of the federal poverty guidelines for the household size. Active-duty service members sponsoring a spouse or child need 100%.

Under the guidelines in effect from March 1, 2026, 125% for a household of two in the 48 contiguous states is $27,050 a year. If income falls short, a joint sponsor can file a separate I-864 and prove their own citizenship or permanent residence.

Married under two years: conditional green card and Form I-751

If permanent residence is based on a marriage that is less than two years old on the day the spouse obtains it, residence is conditional and the green card is valid for two years. USCIS says this applies both to admission on an immigrant visa and to adjustment of status (I-485) inside the U.S.

The couple files Form I-751 jointly during the 90 days before the card expires. Filing before the window opens may get the petition rejected; USCIS shows the first day on its "When to File Your Petition to Remove Conditions" page. According to USCIS, the receipt notice for a properly filed I-751 extends conditional resident status and work authorization for 48 months. A spouse may file alone, at any time before the card expires, with a waiver: the spouse died after a good-faith marriage, the marriage ended in divorce or annulment despite good faith, the immigrant or a child was battered or treated with extreme cruelty, or removal would cause extreme hardship.

USCIS warns that without the I-751 the person loses permanent resident status and becomes removable. Set a reminder 90 days before the date on the card.

Russian and Belarusian nationals: interview location and the 2026 pause

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow no longer offers non-diplomatic visa services because the Russian government barred it from employing foreign nationals. According to the embassy, immigrant visas for residents of Russia are processed at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw. For Russian IR-5 applicants (parents of U.S. citizens), the State Department also added U.S. Embassy Tashkent and U.S. Consulate General Almaty.

Effective January 21, 2026, the State Department paused immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries, including Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Moldova. Ukraine was not listed. Applicants could still submit applications and attend interviews. On August 28, 2026 the Department announced that, as of August 21, 2026 and under the court order in CLINIC et al. v. Rubio, the pause is no longer in effect. Check the travel.state.gov newsroom before your interview in case that changes.

See an immigration attorney if there was a prior visa or green card denial, an overstay, an entry without inspection, an arrest or conviction, or a pending removal or asylum case. You can find Russian-speaking attorneys in our lawyer directory; book the consultation before you mail the I-130.

Questions people ask

Can a green card holder sponsor their parents?

No. Only a U.S. citizen who is 21 or older can file Form I-130 for a parent. A permanent resident can petition only for a spouse and unmarried children, in categories F2A and F2B. After naturalization, the same person can file for parents as immediate relatives, with no Visa Bulletin wait.

How much do Form I-130 and Form I-485 cost together?

Under the USCIS fee schedule G-1055 dated October 26, 2026, Form I-130 costs $675 on paper or $625 online, and Form I-485 for an applicant 14 or older costs $1,440 on paper or $1,390 online. Filed together on paper, that is $2,115. The I-693 medical exam is paid to the doctor separately.

What happens if I miss the I-751 deadline?

A conditional green card is valid for two years, and the joint Form I-751 is filed in its last 90 days. USCIS says that without it the person loses permanent resident status and becomes removable. If the marriage has ended, the immigrant can file I-751 alone with a waiver request any time before the card expires.

Where do Russian citizens have their immigrant visa interview?

The U.S. Embassy in Moscow no longer provides non-diplomatic visa services. According to the embassy, immigrant visas for residents of Russia are processed at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw; parents of U.S. citizens (IR-5) may also be processed in Tashkent or Almaty. The National Visa Center schedules the interview once the DS-260 and all supporting documents are accepted as complete.

How much income does a sponsor need for Form I-864?

The sponsor must show income of at least 125% of the federal poverty guidelines for their household. Under the I-864P guidelines in effect from March 1, 2026, that is $27,050 a year for a household of two in the 48 contiguous states. Active-duty service members sponsoring a spouse or child need 100%. A joint sponsor can cover a shortfall.