ImmigrantFamily-sponsoredSecond preferenceAnnual limitForm I-130

F2B Unmarried Son or Daughter of a Permanent Resident

Family second preference (B): a green card for unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 or older of U.S. lawful permanent residents.

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

At a glance

Who qualifies: Unmarried sons and daughters (21+) of permanent residents
Petitioner: Permanent-resident parent (Form I-130)
Annual limit: 23% of the second-preference total (114,200+)
Final action date (most countries): August 22, 2019
Dates for filing (most countries): September 1, 2019
Marriage: Ends eligibility — no category for married children of residents

Stay unmarried until admission. The family-preference categories contain no class for married sons or daughters of permanent residents, so an F2B beneficiary must remain unmarried through visa issuance and admission. If the parent naturalizes, the case converts to F1 instead. Pauses and proclamations (as of October 1, 2026). Proclamation 10998 still suspends immigrant visas for nationals of 39 countries, with limited exceptions (State Department notice). The separate January 21, 2026 pause for 75 nationalities ended August 21, 2026 under a court order (State notice).

Overview

F2B covers sons and daughters of U.S. lawful permanent residents who are unmarried and 21 or older. It receives 23% of the family second-preference allocation (October 2026 Visa Bulletin).

As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, the F2B final action date is August 22, 2019 for most countries, May 15, 2010 for Mexico and October 1, 2013 for the Philippines.

If the permanent-resident parent naturalizes, the petition converts to F1. Because F1 can be slower than F2B for some countries, the beneficiary may opt out of that conversion in writing.

Who qualifies

The beneficiary must

Be the son or daughter of a lawful permanent resident
Be 21 or older and unmarried at visa issuance and admission
Be admissible, including on public-charge grounds (Form I-864 required)

The petitioner must

Be a lawful permanent resident at filing and remain one (naturalization converts the case to F1)
Meet the Affidavit of Support income requirement, alone or with a joint sponsor

Duration & extensions

Status granted	Lawful permanent residence
Green card validity	Typically 10 years (USCIS M-274)
Path to citizenship	Generally after 5 years as a permanent resident
Final action date — all countries except Mexico and Philippines	August 22, 2019
Dates for filing — all countries except Mexico and Philippines	September 1, 2019
Final action date — Mexico	May 15, 2010
Final action date — Philippines	October 1, 2013
Dates for filing — Mexico / Philippines	March 22, 2011 / October 1, 2014

Fees

Fees as published on official schedules on October 1, 2026.

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): August 22, 2019; As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin.
Mexico / Philippines: May 15, 2010 / Oct 1, 2013; Oversubscribed chargeability areas.
Dates for filing (most countries): September 1, 2019; Chart USCIS requires for family filings in October 2026.

Waits are governed by the Visa Bulletin. I-130 and I-485 processing times vary; check USCIS processing times.

Application steps

1
Petitioner files Form I-130
The permanent-resident 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 lawful permanent resident status (copy of both sides of the green card)
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 F2B beneficiary’s unmarried children under 21 may immigrate as derivatives with the same priority date (INA 203(d)); the CSPA age formula can protect a child who turns 21 while waiting. There is no derivative spouse.

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.

F2A

Spouse or child under 21 of a permanent resident

The larger half of the second preference.

Unmarried son or daughter of a U.S. citizen

Where F2B converts when the parent naturalizes.

Married son or daughter of a U.S. citizen

Option only once the parent is a citizen.

IR-5

Parent of a U.S. citizen

Immediate relative category, no annual limit.

Common questions

What happens if an F2B beneficiary gets married?

There is no family-preference category for married sons or daughters of permanent residents, so the F2B basis is lost. If the parent later naturalizes, the parent could file for an F3 category instead.

Should I opt out of conversion to F1 when my parent naturalizes?

It depends on which line is moving faster for the beneficiary’s country. USCIS allows a written opt-out request to stay in F2B; compare current F1 and F2B dates in the Visa Bulletin.

What is the F2B wait in October 2026?

Applicants with priority dates before August 22, 2019 (most countries), May 15, 2010 (Mexico) or October 1, 2013 (Philippines) can be issued visas, as of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin.

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.