Preference Relatives for Greencard--Four categories

Who is a preference relative?

Family First preference
People in the family first preference are those who are unmarried and have a U.S. citizen parent. IT doesnn't matter how old you are.

Family Second preference
People in the family second preference are those who are spouses and children of greencard holders. Children in this category are 21 years or younger. (2A)
People in this group are also unmarried children of greencard holders who are 21 or older. (2b)

Family Third Preference
People in this category are married and have at least one U.S. citizen parent.


Family Fourth preference
People in this category are siblings of U.S. citizens (U.S. citizen must be at least 21 years old).

**ONLY PREFERENCE RELATIVES CAN BRING ACCOMPANYING RELATIVES. ACCOMPANYING RELATIVES GET A GREEN CARD AUTOMATICALLY WHEN A PREFERENCE RELATIVE GETS ONE. ACCOMPANYING RELATIVES ARE USUALLY YOUR SPOUSE AND CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 21.

Family Based Greencards

You can get a family based green card so long as you are an immediate relative of a U.S. citizen. Who is an immediate relative? Husband/wife, (even if deceased but the death must not have occurred more than 2 years prior); unmarried children under the age of 21 who has at least one parent who is a U.S. citizen or greencard holder; parents of a U.S. citizen child over 21; step parents if the marriage occured prior to the 18th birthday of the petitioning child.

You can get a family based green card if you are a "preference relative" of a U.S. citizen or a greencard holder. Who is a preference relative? There are four categories.

Family First Preference

Family Second Preference

Family Third preference

Family fourth preference.

You can also get a greencard if you are an accompanying relative of someone in a preference category.

So in short, there are three ways by which to qualify for a family based greencard.