Family-based immigration to the U.S. allows citizens and lawful permanent residents to sponsor certain family members for permanent residency. The process, eligibility, and wait times vary depending on the relationship between the sponsor and applicant, including the applicant’s country of origin. U.S. immigrant law defines two primary categories for family based immigration under Form-I30 Petition for Alien Relative: immediate relatives and family preference categories. Immediate relatives include spouses, unmarried under 21, and parents of U.S. citizens who are at least 21 years old. However, the family preference system, which includes adult children, siblings, and relatives of green card holders, has extended wait times. This is due to the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which imposes annual limits on the number of family-sponsored visas, along with per-country limits, which have created a backlog of roughly 4 million pending petitions. The approval rate for this application is about 85%, while the length typically ranges from 9-14 months, but this can change depending on specific circumstances. To learn more, reference the USCIS page.