US Publishes 5 Categories of Family Members Who Qualify for a Green Card

• The US government has published which family relationships qualify for a Green Card under its family preference immigrant programme
• The categories cover relatives of both US citizens and lawful permanent residents, each assigned to a specific preference tier
• Eligible applicants already living in the US can pursue permanent resident status through a process called adjustment of status

The United States government has officially outlined the family relationships that qualify for a Green Card under the country's family preference immigrant programme, providing clarity on which relatives of US citizens and lawful permanent residents are eligible under immigration law.

The guidance, issued by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), identifies five distinct preference categories that determine eligibility based on the specific nature of an applicant's family tie to their sponsor.

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Who qualifies under each preference category

The first preference category, designated F1, covers unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 and older who are related to US citizens.

The second preference is split into two sub-categories: F2A applies to spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age who are related to lawful permanent residents, while F2B covers unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 and older with the same relationship.

The third preference, F3, is reserved for married sons and daughters of US citizens. The fourth preference, F4, covers brothers and sisters of US citizens, provided the sponsoring US citizen is at least 21 years old.

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USCIS noted that immediate relatives of US citizens, including spouses, minor children, and parents, follow a separate application process and are not part of the preference categories outlined above.

Applying from inside the United States

For those already residing in the US, a pathway known as adjustment of status allows eligible applicants to obtain lawful permanent resident status without travelling abroad to complete their application.

This process enables applicants to change their immigration standing from within the country, provided they meet the requirements tied to their specific preference category.

USCIS has emphasised that each category carries its own eligibility conditions, and prospective applicants are advised to confirm which category corresponds to their family relationship before initiating the process.

Ghanaians selected in US green card lottery emerge

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US had released its first-round Diversity Visa lottery results for the upcoming fiscal year.

With this, 1,642 Ghanaian applicants were selected, placing the country among the leading West African beneficiaries of the programme.

Source: YEN.com.gh