When people say “get at the back of the line and come into the US legally” what does that really look like?  Most likely you think it means your family sponsor fills out an application, turns it in and then it gets processed within a year or so.  Only one category of applicants gets processed quickly, and then only a certain number of those. But did you know that depending on your country of origin it can take 20 years or more for your application to even get up to the review process? 

Most people do not have a legal way to come to the United States. There are three legal options to immigrate to the United States 1) Family-based immigration; 2) Employment-based immigration; and 3) Humanitarian relief.

In addition, there are limits, by country of origin, on how many people can be admitted to legally immigrate to the US each year.  The chart below was shared during our recent training on Family Immigration.  These number only apply to Family-sponsored Immigration.  (USC – United States Citizen, LPR – Legal Permanent Resident) For more information read https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/immigrate/family-immigration/family-based-immigrant-visas.html

F1 – unmarried sons and daughters of USCs (23,400 annually)

F2 – 2 categories – 114,200 annually

F2A – spouses and children of LPRs (77%, or 87, 934) (children means up to age 18)

F2B – unmarried sons and daughters of LPRs (23%, or 26,266)

F3 – married sons and daughters of USCs (23,400 annually)

F4 – siblings of USCs (65,000 annually)

Total – 226,000 immigrants admitted per year

The following chart refers to the date of the application for family immigration. If you are an unmarried son or daughter of a US Citizen who is from Mexico, they are now processing application that were filed August 1, 1996 – over 20 years ago.

Family- Sponsored	GENERAL	CHINA	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	08MAR12	08MAR12	08MAR12	01AUG96	22AUG07
F2A	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
F2B	01SEPT13	01SEPT13	01SEPT13	15APR98	01JAN08
F3	08MAR07	08MAR07	08MAR07	01JUL95	01AUG97
F4	15JUN06	15JUN06	22AUG04	01JAN97	01JAN98

The chart below will give you a little more information about legal immigration to the United States

Too small to read?  Click HERE to download this Document.