A US family visa is an immigrant visa for a close relative of a US citizen or green card holder, and the State Department application fee is $325 for each family-based applicant. Spouses, children and parents of US citizens fall in the immediate relative group, which has no yearly cap, while other family categories wait for a visa number.
The United States does not issue a single “family visa.” It has immediate relative visas and four family preference categories, and the one you use depends on who your sponsor is and how you are related. This guide explains who can sponsor, which relatives qualify, how long the preference categories are waiting, the fees, the steps and the mistakes that delay cases. The category rules and fees come from the State Department’s family immigration and fee pages. The waiting dates come from the October 2026 Visa Bulletin. The petition fee comes from a private source, because the USCIS form page shows an old figure, so confirm it on the USCIS fee calculator. If you are an American sponsor who plans to travel with a relative, a valid passport comes first, and our US passport guide covers how to get or renew one.
What Is a US Family Visa?
A US family visa is the common name for a family-based immigrant visa, which lets a relative live in the United States permanently as a green card holder. It is different from a visitor visa, which is temporary.
The State Department splits family immigration into two groups. Immediate relatives are people with a close relationship to a US citizen, such as a spouse, child or parent. The number of immigrants in this group is not limited each fiscal year. Family preference categories cover more distant relationships with US citizens and some Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders). That number is limited each year, so applicants wait in line.
Every case starts with a petition. USCIS approves or denies the petition, the National Visa Center (NVC) helps prepare the case for certain categories, and the applicant attends an interview at a US embassy or consulate that processes immigrant visas. This article covers the family route. If a relative only wants to visit, read our guide to how to get an entry visa to the US instead.
Who Can Sponsor a Relative?
A sponsor must be at least 21 years old and be a US citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident. What the sponsor can do depends on their status.
The State Department sets these limits:
- US citizens can petition for a spouse, a son or daughter, a parent, or a brother or sister.
- Lawful Permanent Residents can petition for a spouse or an unmarried son or daughter.
A green card holder cannot petition for a parent or a sibling. This is a common surprise, so check your sponsor’s status before you plan. USCIS says Form I-130 establishes the family relationship, and a separate form must be filed for each eligible relative. Filing and approval are only the first step. Relatives must wait until a visa number is available before they apply for an immigrant visa or adjust status.
Which Family Categories Exist, and How Long Is the Wait?
Immediate relatives have no cap and no waiting line, while preference categories wait years, shown by the dates in the monthly Visa Bulletin. The table shows the October 2026 final action dates for most countries.
| Category | Who it covers | Final action date (most countries) |
| F1 | Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens | January 22, 2020 |
| F2A | Spouses and children of green card holders | September 22, 2026 |
| F2B | Unmarried sons and daughters, age 21 or older, of green card holders | August 22, 2019 |
| F3 | Married sons and daughters of US citizens | October 22, 2014 |
| F4 | Brothers and sisters of adult US citizens | October 22, 2011 |
A final action date is the cut-off for visa issuance. If your priority date, which is the date your petition was filed, is before the date shown for your category and country, a visa number is available. Some countries have different dates. For example, the October 2026 bulletin lists Mexico’s F1 date as September 8, 2008 and its F4 date as April 22, 2001, and the Philippines’ F4 date as May 15, 2008. India’s F4 date is December 15, 2006.
The bulletin also publishes a Dates for Filing chart. USCIS announces on its website which chart applicants in the United States may use each month, so check that page before you file for a green card from inside the country. The bulletin changes monthly, so look at the current one. Our visa processing time calculator gives a rough idea of timing for other steps.
Here is how to read the table in practice. Find your category, then compare your priority date with the date shown for your country of birth. A “C” in the Dates for Filing chart means current, so no wait applies on that chart. If your date is later than the one shown, your case waits. Each category moves at its own speed, and dates can stay still or move backward, so do not quit a job or sell property based on a guess. Keep your NVC and USCIS contact details current and save every notice, because the priority date on your approval notice decides your place in line.
How Much Does a US Family Visa Cost?
The State Department immigrant visa application fee is $325 for family-based cases, and the affidavit of support review is $120 when it is reviewed domestically. USCIS charges separate petition fees.
These are the State Department amounts:
- Family-based immigrant visa application, based on an approved I-130, I-600 or I-800: $325.
- Affidavit of Support review, only when reviewed domestically: $120.
- K visa for a fiancé(e) or spouse of a US citizen, a nonimmigrant fee: $265.
USCIS charges a fee for Form I-130 itself. A private immigration site dated October 2026 lists $625 for online filing and $675 for paper, in effect since April 1, 2024. It also notes that USCIS generally no longer accepts checks or money orders. The USCIS form page still shows $420, which looks out of date, so check the USCIS fee calculator before you file. Medical exams, translations, passport photos and courier fees add more, and amounts vary by country. For a cost comparison with other US visas, see our guide to visa prices in the USA.
How Does the US Family Visa Process Work?
File the petition, wait for approval, complete the NVC steps, attend the consular interview and then enter the United States. Each stage has its own timeline.
The usual path is:
- Petition. The sponsor files Form I-130 with USCIS. A separate form is needed for each relative.
- Approval. USCIS approves or denies the petition. For preference categories, the case then waits for the priority date to become current.
- NVC. The National Visa Center helps prepare the case. The applicant submits the visa application, the fee, the affidavit of support and civil documents.
- Interview. The applicant attends an interview at a US embassy or consulate that processes immigrant visas. The State Department links an immigrant visa scheduling status tool for checking progress.
- Decision and entry. If approved, the applicant receives the visa and travels. CBP decides admission at the port of entry.
Applicants already inside the United States in a lawful status may be able to adjust to a green card without leaving, but that route has its own rules. Read the USCIS guidance for your case. The State Department’s family immigration page is the best official starting point.
What Is the Affidavit of Support?
The affidavit of support is a legal promise by the sponsor to support the immigrant financially, and the State Department charges $120 to review it domestically. It is part of most family cases.
The sponsor shows enough income or assets to keep the relative from relying on public benefits. The sponsor’s tax records and proof of current work are common evidence. If the sponsor’s income is too low, a joint sponsor can sign instead. The exact income threshold depends on the household size and the federal poverty guidelines, so use the official instructions for the form rather than a number from a blog. Errors on this form are a common cause of delays at the NVC stage.
What Documents Do Applicants Need?
Applicants need a valid passport, civil documents, police and medical records and proof of the relationship. The exact list appears in the NVC checklist for your case.
Common items include:
- A valid passport for each applicant.
- Birth certificates, plus marriage certificates and proof that earlier marriages ended, where relevant.
- Police certificates from the countries where the applicant has lived.
- A medical exam by an approved physician.
- Passport-style photographs.
- The affidavit of support and the sponsor’s tax records.
- Proof that the relationship is real, such as photos, messages and shared records.
Our visa documents checklist tool helps you keep these papers in order. If a passport is near expiry, renew it first. American family members can follow our passport renewal guide, and other nationalities should use their own government’s process. Translate every document that is not in English.
What About a Fiancé(e) or Spouse K Visa?
The K visa lets the fiancé(e) or spouse of a US citizen travel to the United States, and the State Department fee is $265. It is listed as a nonimmigrant visa fee.
A K visa has its own conditions, and the fee is separate from the immigrant visa application fee of $325. Check the State Department’s K visa pages for the current steps, because a fiancé(e) visa is not the same as a spouse immigrant visa. Couples already married often use the immediate relative spouse route instead. Pick the route that matches your marital status and your sponsor’s status.
What Mistakes Delay or Sink a Family Visa Case?
Choosing the wrong category, filing the wrong form and sending incomplete documents cause most delays. Check each point before you file.
- Assuming a green card holder can sponsor a parent or sibling. They cannot.
- Filing one form for several relatives. A separate form is needed for each.
- Missing the sponsor’s age or status requirement: at least 21 and a citizen or green card holder.
- Ignoring the Visa Bulletin and booking travel before the priority date is current.
- Submitting a weak or incomplete affidavit of support.
- Using translated documents without a full translation.
- Paying a middleman who promises a green card. Only USCIS and the State Department decide.
When unsure, use the official source. The State Department’s page on family immigration is the best starting point. If you are weighing other countries for a family move, see our guides to the Canada family visa and the Germany family visa.
FAQs
What is a US family visa?
It is a family-based immigrant visa. A US citizen or green card holder petitions for a relative, who then lives in the United States permanently.
Who can sponsor a relative to the US?
A US citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident aged at least 21. Citizens can petition for more relatives than green card holders can.
How much does a US family visa cost?
The State Department fee is $325 for family-based applicants and $120 for a domestic affidavit of support review. USCIS charges a separate petition fee.
Is there a waiting list for a US family visa?
Immediate relatives have no cap. Preference categories F1 to F4 wait for a priority date to become current in the monthly Visa Bulletin.
Can a green card holder sponsor a parent?
No. A green card holder can petition only for a spouse or an unmarried son or daughter. Only US citizens can petition for parents.
What is the affidavit of support?
It is the sponsor’s legal promise to support the immigrant financially. The State Department charges $120 to review it when it is reviewed domestically.
What is a K visa?
It is a nonimmigrant visa for the fiancé(e) or spouse of a US citizen. The State Department application fee is $265.
Conclusion
A US family visa starts with a petition from a US citizen or green card holder aged 21 or older. Immediate relatives have no yearly cap, while preference categories wait for their priority dates. Budget $325 for the State Department application plus the USCIS petition fee, prepare the affidavit of support early and check the monthly Visa Bulletin for your category.
