ImmigrantFamily-sponsoredThird preferenceAnnual limitForm I-130

F3 Married Son or Daughter of a U.S. Citizen

Family third preference: a green card for married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, with their spouses and minor children.

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

At a glance

Who qualifies: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens (any age)
Petitioner: U.S. citizen parent (Form I-130)
Annual limit: 23,400 plus unused F1 and F2 numbers
Final action date (most countries): October 22, 2014
Dates for filing (most countries): November 1, 2014
Derivatives: Spouse and unmarried children under 21

Long waits, especially for Mexico. As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, the F3 final action date is July 1, 2001 for Mexico and July 22, 2006 for the Philippines. 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

F3 covers sons and daughters of U.S. citizens who are married. The beneficiary’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 immigrate with them as derivatives, so a single petition can bring a whole family.

The annual allocation is 23,400, plus any numbers not required by the first and second preferences (October 2026 Visa Bulletin). As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, the final action date is October 22, 2014 for most countries.

If the beneficiary’s marriage legally ends before immigrating, an F3 petition converts to F1 (or to immediate relative if the beneficiary is under 21), keeping the original priority date (8 CFR 204.2(i)(1)(iii)).

Who qualifies

The beneficiary must

Be the son or daughter of a U.S. citizen
Be married (an F1 beneficiary who marries converts to F3 automatically)
Be admissible, including on public-charge grounds (Form I-864 required)

The petitioner must

Be a U.S. citizen parent of the beneficiary
Meet the Affidavit of Support requirement for the beneficiary and derivatives, alone or with a joint sponsor

Duration & extensions

Status granted	Lawful permanent residence for the beneficiary and derivatives
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	October 22, 2014
Dates for filing — all countries except Mexico and Philippines	November 1, 2014
Final action date — Mexico	July 1, 2001
Final action date — Philippines	July 22, 2006
Dates for filing — Mexico / Philippines	December 1, 2002 / October 22, 2006

Fees

Fees as published on official schedules on October 1, 2026. Derivative family members pay the per-person fees but need no separate I-130.

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): October 22, 2014; As of the October 2026 Visa Bulletin.
Mexico / Philippines: Jul 1, 2001 / Jul 22, 2006; Oversubscribed chargeability areas.
Dates for filing (most countries): November 1, 2014; Chart USCIS requires for family filings in October 2026.

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

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 beneficiary’s spouse and unmarried children under 21 are derivatives with the same priority date (INA 203(d)). They file their own DS-260s and pay per-person fees. The CSPA age formula can keep a child under 21 if residence is sought 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.

Unmarried son or daughter of a U.S. citizen

Where an F3 case goes if the marriage ends.

Brother or sister of a U.S. citizen

Fourth family preference.

IR-2

Child of a U.S. citizen

Unmarried children under 21, no annual limit.

IR-5

Parent of a U.S. citizen

Immediate relative category for parents.

Common questions

Can my married child bring their spouse and children?

Yes. The spouse and unmarried children under 21 are derivative beneficiaries of the F3 petition and share its priority date.

What if my married child divorces while waiting?

The petition converts to F1 (or to immediate relative if under 21) with the same priority date, under 8 CFR 204.2(i)(1)(iii).

What is the F3 final action date in October 2026?

October 22, 2014 for most countries, including China and India; July 1, 2001 for Mexico; July 22, 2006 for the Philippines — 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.