Green cards for your children: which category, and how long
Your child’s category — and the wait — depends on three things: your status (citizen or green card holder), the child’s age, and whether the child is married. Unmarried children under 21 of citizens wait for no visa number; everyone else lands in a preference line.
The category map
Every child’s case starts with the same form — the I-130 ($675 paper, $625 online) — but where it goes from there depends entirely on which box the child fits at the moment of decision. Here is the whole map:
| Your status | Child’s situation | Category | Visa number wait? |
|---|---|---|---|
| U.S. citizen | Unmarried, under 21 | IR-2 (immediate relative) | None — unlimited visas |
| U.S. citizen | Unmarried, 21 or older | F1 | Yes — backlogged |
| U.S. citizen | Married, any age | F3 | Yes — backlogged |
| Green card holder | Unmarried, under 21 | F2A | Filing open — Current on the August 2026 Dates for Filing chart |
| Green card holder | Unmarried, 21 or older | F2B | Yes — backlogged |
| Green card holder | Married, any age | No category exists | — |
That last row is the trap in this system: a green card holder simply cannot petition for a married son or daughter. And marriage moves people between rows in both directions — more on that below. For how the F1–F4 lines actually move, see our family preference guide and Visa Bulletin explainer.
The birthday problem — read this before anything else
Marriage changes everything — sometimes fatally
For children of citizens, marriage is a demotion: an IR-2 or F1 beneficiary who marries drops into F3, one of the slowest lines. For children of green card holders, marriage is worse than a demotion — it kills the petition outright, because no LPR category exists for married children. If you later naturalize, a married child can be petitioned fresh in F3; until then, there is nothing to convert to. If your child is engaged and a petition is pending, get advice before the wedding date is set. Conversely, your own naturalization upgrades the case: F2A children become immediate relatives, and F2B moves to F1 (with a narrow opt-out where the old line is faster).
The August 2026 opening for green card holders
The August 2026 Visa Bulletin lists F2A as Current on the Dates for Filing chart, and USCIS has been honoring that chart for family cases — which means spouses and unmarried under-21 children of green card holders can file their I-485s now if they are in the U.S. after a lawful entry, rather than waiting abroad. Filing also locks in the pre-September 18, 2026 public charge standard. Windows like this do not announce their closing date; if your child qualifies, this is a genuinely good moment to act.
Stepchildren, adopted children, and children of fiancé(e)s
“Child” is broader than biology here, with sharp edges. A stepchild counts if the marriage creating the relationship happened before the child turned 18. An adopted child generally counts if the adoption was finalized before 16, with two years of legal custody and two years of residence with the adoptive parent — and Hague Convention countries follow different rules entirely, so adoption cases belong with counsel from day one. And if you are marrying a U.S. citizen on a K-1, your children may come along on K-2 visas if they are listed on the I-129F, then adjust with you after the wedding.
Under 21 and unmarried?
File now. IR-2 children of citizens wait for no number, and the child’s age effectively freezes at filing. Delay is the only enemy.
Parent holds a green card?
F2A’s August 2026 filing window is a milestone. Eligible children in the U.S. can file I-485s now — and naturalizing later only helps.
A wedding on the horizon?
Marriage can demote an F1 case or destroy an F2A/F2B one. Check the immigration consequences before the ceremony.
Common questions
My daughter turns 21 next year and my I-130 is pending. Is she safe?
If you are a U.S. citizen, her age froze on the day USCIS received the I-130, so turning 21 will not hurt her. In preference categories the answer depends on the CSPA calculation, which changed materially in August 2025 — have the math checked rather than assuming.
Can my child’s spouse and kids come too?
In the preference categories (F1, F2A, F2B, F3), yes — a spouse and unmarried under-21 children ride along as derivatives. In immediate-relative cases there are no derivatives at all; each person needs their own petition.
I’m a green card holder and my son just married. What now?
The F2A or F2B petition cannot survive his marriage — the category ceases to exist for him. If you naturalize, you can file a new F3 petition for him as a married son of a citizen. This is worth planning with an attorney, not improvising.
Does it matter whether my child is inside or outside the U.S.?
It shapes the finish, not the category. A child in the U.S. after lawful entry may use adjustment of status when a number is available; a child abroad goes through consular processing. Either way the I-130 comes first.
What does “Current” mean for F2A?
On the August 2026 Dates for Filing chart, F2A has no cutoff date — any priority date qualifies for filing, and USCIS is honoring that chart. It governs when you can file, not instant approval; see our Visa Bulletin guide for the two-chart system.
Every child’s case has a clock. Let’s check yours.
We will place your child in the right category, run the age math, and file before windows close — flat fee, quoted up front.