ImmigrantFamily-sponsoredFirst preferenceAnnual limitForm I-130

F1 Unmarried Son or Daughter of a U.S. Citizen

Family first preference: a green card for unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 or older of U.S. citizens, subject to an annual limit and a waiting line.

Last reviewed Oct 1, 2026Sources: Department of State · USCIS · eCFRReport an error

At a glance

Who qualifies: Unmarried sons and daughters (21+) of U.S. citizens
Petitioner: U.S. citizen parent (Form I-130)
Annual limit: 23,400 plus unused F4 numbers
Final action date (most countries): January 22, 2020
Dates for filing (most countries): February 1, 2020
Result: Lawful permanent residence

Not the F-1 student visa. “F1” here is the family first-preference immigrant category — a green card for an unmarried adult son or daughter of a U.S. citizen. The F-1 student visa is a separate, temporary nonimmigrant visa for academic study; see the F-1 page.

Overview

F1 is the first of the four family-sponsored preference categories in INA 203(a). It covers sons and daughters of U.S. citizens who are unmarried and 21 or older. Children under 21 are immediate relatives instead and do not wait in a preference line.

The October 2026 Visa Bulletin sets the F1 allocation at 23,400 a year, plus any numbers not required for the fourth preference. Because demand exceeds supply, applicants wait for their priority date (the I-130 filing date) to become current; waits are longest for Mexico and the Philippines.

As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, the F1 final action date is January 22, 2020 for most countries, September 8, 2008 for Mexico and November 1, 2013 for the Philippines.

Who qualifies

The beneficiary must

Be the son or daughter of a U.S. citizen (biological, step, or adopted child as defined in the INA)
Be 21 or older and unmarried (single, divorced or widowed) when the visa is issued and at admission
Be admissible to the United States, including on public-charge grounds (an I-864 Affidavit of Support is required)

Category changes to know

Marriage before immigrating converts an F1 petition to F3 (married son or daughter), keeping the original priority date (8 CFR 204.2(i))
An immediate-relative child of a U.S. citizen who turns 21 converts to F1 on the 21st birthday, keeping the priority date
When a permanent-resident parent naturalizes, an F2B petition converts to F1; the beneficiary may opt out to stay in F2B if F2B is moving faster

Duration & extensions

Status granted	Lawful permanent residence (no expiry on the status itself)
Green card validity	Typically 10 years, then renewed (USCIS M-274)
Visa validity	The immigrant visa is used for a single entry to become a resident
Path to citizenship	Generally after 5 years as a permanent resident
Final action date — all countries except Mexico and Philippines	January 22, 2020
Dates for filing — all countries except Mexico and Philippines	February 1, 2020
Final action date — Mexico	September 8, 2008
Final action date — Philippines	November 1, 2013
Dates for filing — Mexico / Philippines	December 1, 2008 / April 22, 2015

Fees

Fees as published on official schedules on October 1, 2026. Consular processing is the usual route; adjustment of status replaces some fees.

Fee	Amount	Who pays	Notes
Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative	$675 paper / $625 online	Petitioner	Current USCIS fee schedule amount; one petition per beneficiary.
Immigrant visa application processing fee (DS-260)	$325 per person	Each applicant	Family-preference rate on the State Department fee schedule; non-refundable.
Affidavit of Support review	$120	Petitioner / sponsor	Charged by State only when the I-864 is reviewed domestically (at the National Visa Center).
USCIS Immigrant Fee	$235 per person	Each immigrant	Paid online to USCIS after the visa is issued; the green card is not produced until it is paid.
Form I-485 (only if adjusting status inside the U.S.)	$1,440 paper / $1,390 online	Applicant	$950 paper / $900 online for a child under 14 filing with a parent. Replaces the DS-260, $120 review and Immigrant Fee path.

Medical examination and vaccination costs are set by the panel physician or civil surgeon and are not on the government fee schedules. The $250 Visa Integrity Fee in Public Law 119-21 applies to nonimmigrant visas, not to immigrant visas.

Processing time

Final action date (most countries): January 22, 2020; As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin.
Mexico / Philippines: Sep 8, 2008 / Nov 1, 2013; Final action dates for oversubscribed countries.
Dates for filing (most countries): February 1, 2020; USCIS requires this chart for family adjustment filings in October 2026.

The wait is set by the Visa Bulletin, not by a processing clock. I-130 and I-485 processing times vary by office; check USCIS processing times. Full October 2026 F1 dates by country are listed under Duration and on the bulletin.

Application steps

1
Petitioner files Form I-130
The U.S. citizen parent files Form I-130 with USCIS. The filing date becomes the beneficiary’s priority date — the place in line.
2
Wait for the priority date to become current
Each month the Visa Bulletin publishes a final action date and a date for filing for each category and chargeability area. Numbers can be issued only when the priority date is earlier than the final action date.
3
National Visa Center processing
After approval, USCIS sends the case to the National Visa Center. The applicant pays fees, submits Form DS-260, the petitioner submits Form I-864, and civil documents are uploaded. Failure to apply within one year of notice of visa availability can lead to termination of the petition under INA 203(g).
4
Medical exam and consular interview
Since November 1, 2025, NVC schedules interviews in the applicant’s country of residence (or nationality, on request). A medical exam by an embassy-approved panel physician is required.
5
Travel and become a permanent resident
On admission at a U.S. port of entry with the immigrant visa, the beneficiary becomes a lawful permanent resident. The $235 USCIS Immigrant Fee must be paid before the green card is produced.
6
If already in the U.S.: adjustment of status
A beneficiary who is in the U.S. and eligible to adjust may file Form I-485 instead of consular processing. In October 2026 USCIS requires family-sponsored applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart.

Required documents

From the petitioner

Proof of U.S. citizenship (U.S. passport, birth certificate, or naturalization or citizenship certificate)
Proof of the family relationship (for example the beneficiary’s birth certificate naming the petitioner as parent)
Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, with financial evidence (income must generally meet 125% of the HHS poverty guidelines)

From each applicant

Passport biographic page
Birth certificate; marriage or divorce records where relevant
Police certificates and any court and prison records, as listed in State’s civil documents guidance
Form DS-260 confirmation and medical exam results

Dependents & family

The F1 beneficiary’s own unmarried children under 21 can immigrate as derivatives with the same priority date (INA 203(d)), each paying their own fees. There is no derivative spouse, because the principal must be unmarried. The Child Status Protection Act formula (age when the visa becomes available minus the time the I-130 was pending) can keep a derivative child under 21, if the child seeks to acquire residence within one year of visa availability.

After you arrive

Family-preference immigrants become lawful permanent residents when admitted on the immigrant visa (or when USCIS approves Form I-485). Most receive a green card with a 10-year expiration date; a spouse whose marriage is less than two years old when residence is granted receives two-year conditional residence (INA 216).

Step 1

Pay the USCIS Immigrant Fee

The $235 fee is paid online, ideally before departure; the card is mailed to the U.S. address on file.

Step 2

Keep residence in the U.S.

Long trips abroad can raise abandonment questions; an absence of more than one year generally requires a reentry permit or a returning resident (SB-1) visa.

Step 3

Naturalization

Most permanent residents may apply for citizenship after five years of continuous residence, with physical presence for at least half that time.

IR-2

Child of a U.S. citizen

Unmarried children under 21 — no annual limit.

Married son or daughter of a U.S. citizen

Where an F1 petition goes if the beneficiary marries.

F2B

Unmarried son or daughter of a permanent resident

Converts to F1 when the parent naturalizes, unless opted out.

Brother or sister of a U.S. citizen

Fourth family preference; unused numbers flow to F1.

F-1

Academic student

The temporary student visa — not this category.

Common questions

Is F1 the same as the F-1 student visa?

No. F1 (no hyphen on this site) is the family first-preference immigrant category leading to a green card. The F-1 student visa is a temporary nonimmigrant visa for study.

What happens if an F1 beneficiary marries?

The petition automatically converts to F3 (married son or daughter of a U.S. citizen) and keeps its original priority date, under 8 CFR 204.2(i)(1). F3 usually has a longer wait.

What is the F1 final action date right now?

As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin: January 22, 2020 for most countries (including China and India), September 8, 2008 for Mexico and November 1, 2013 for the Philippines. The dates change monthly.

Can my child’s F2B case become F1 when I naturalize?

Yes. The petition converts to F1 on the date of naturalization. If F2B is moving faster for the child’s country, the beneficiary may ask USCIS in writing to opt out of the conversion.

Are F1 visas affected by the 2026 travel proclamation?

Nationals of the 39 countries covered by Proclamation 10998 are generally barred from immigrant visa issuance unless an exception applies, such as dual nationality with a non-listed passport or a national-interest exception (State notice).

Official sources

Recent changes

Sep 18, 2026
Public charge final rule takes effect. DHS’s final rule (91 FR 45324, published July 20, 2026) rescinds the 2022 public charge regulations and applies to admissions and to adjustment applications postmarked or submitted on or after September 18, 2026. Source ↗
Sep 4, 2026
October 2026 Visa Bulletin opens FY 2027. The first bulletin of fiscal year 2027 advanced several family final action dates; USCIS says family-sponsored adjustment applicants must use the Dates for Filing chart in October 2026. Source ↗
Aug 21, 2026
75-country immigrant visa pause no longer in effect. Under the court’s order in CLINIC et al. v. Rubio, et al., State says the January 2026 pause on immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 countries ended as of August 21, 2026. Source ↗
Aug 5, 2026
Public charge bond pilot for immigrant visa applicants. State says consular officers may require certain immigrant visa applicants to apply for a public charge bond with USCIS under a pilot used for select cases; if the bond is approved, a visa previously refused under INA 212(a)(4) may be issued. Source ↗
Jun 5, 2026
Court vacates USCIS benefit holds for “high-risk” country nationals. In Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island v. USCIS, the court vacated PM-602-0192, PM-602-0194 and PA-2025-26, which had held pending USCIS benefit requests from nationals of listed countries. USCIS says it is complying pending further review. Source ↗
Jan 21, 2026
Immigrant visa issuance paused for nationals of 75 countries. State paused all immigrant visa issuance to nationals of 75 listed countries, citing public-benefits concerns. Interviews continued, but visas were not issued. The pause ended August 21, 2026 under a court order. Source ↗
Jan 1, 2026
Proclamation 10998 suspends immigrant visas for 39 nationalities. Proclamation 10998 (signed December 16, 2025; 90 FR 59717) took effect January 1, 2026. It fully suspends visa issuance to nationals of 19 countries and suspends immigrant visas for nationals of 19 more countries and Turkmenistan, with limited exceptions; case-by-case national-interest exceptions remain possible. Source ↗
Nov 1, 2025
Immigrant visa interviews in country of residence. The National Visa Center now schedules immigrant visa applicants in their country of residence or, if requested, their country of nationality, with rare exceptions. Source ↗
Jun 4, 2025
Proclamation 10949 restricts entry from 19 countries. Proclamation 10949 (90 FR 24497) fully or partially suspended entry of nationals of 19 countries. Proclamation 10998 later continued and expanded it. Source ↗

This page is general reference material compiled from the official sources above and is not legal advice. Eligibility depends on individual facts; rules and fees change, so confirm with the agency before you file. VisaTypes.com is not affiliated with USCIS, the Department of State or any government agency. Spotted an error? Tell us.