Family Preference categories are available for specific, more distant, family relationships with a U.S. citizen and some specified relationships with a Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR). Congress has provided for fiscal year numerical limitations on family preference immigrants, shown at the end of each category below. The family preference categories are: Family First Preference (F1): [...]

Immediate relative (IR) visa types are based on a immediate family relationship with a United States citizen. These categories all fall within the Immediate Relative (IR) designation, for which there is currently no limit on the number of visas available, unlike family and employment preference categories. This means that Congress has not limited the [...]