Sibling & Adult Children Green Cards: How Long the F3/F4 Backlog Really Takes in 2026
How long is the F3/F4 visa backlog in 2026?
Under the October 2026 Visa Bulletin, F3 (married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens) is reaching priority dates before October 22, 2014, and F4 (siblings of U.S. citizens) before October 22, 2011, roughly 12 and 15 years behind for most countries. Applicants born in Mexico or the Philippines, and Indian-born F4 applicants, wait longer. These gaps are snapshots, not guaranteed timelines.
If you are a U.S. citizen hoping to bring a brother, sister, or married son or daughter to the United States, or you are the family member waiting abroad, you have probably heard that the wait is "very long." This guide explains what that actually means in 2026: where the line stands today, why it moves so slowly, and what your family can do in the meantime.
Key takeaways
- F3 and F4 are the slowest family-based green card categories, and only U.S. citizens can file in them.
- Your place in line is your priority date, usually the date USCIS received the Form I-130.
- Country of birth matters. Mexico, the Philippines, and India (for F4) have separate, longer lines.
- A marriage, divorce, or the petitioner's naturalization can move a case into a different category, sometimes faster and sometimes slower.
- The wait is long, but it is not idle time. Keeping records current and planning for children can protect the case.
In this guide
Key terms to know
A few terms do most of the work in understanding the F3/F4 backlog. Here is what each one means and why it matters to you.
- Priority date
- Your place in the visa line. For most family petitions, it is the date USCIS properly received the Form I-130. Why it matters: every Visa Bulletin comparison starts here.
- Visa Bulletin
- The U.S. Department of State's monthly chart showing which priority dates can move forward in each family and employment category. Why it matters: it is the only official source for where the line stands.
- Final Action Date
- The cutoff for final approval. If your priority date is earlier than this date, a visa number may be available to issue the immigrant visa or approve the green card. Why it matters: this is the date that ends the wait.
- Date for Filing
- An earlier cutoff that lets applicants start final paperwork, either by submitting documents to the National Visa Center or, in months USCIS allows it, by filing for adjustment of status. Why it matters: you can prepare sooner, but approval still waits for the Final Action Date.
- Country of chargeability
- The country whose line you stand in, generally your country of birth. Exceptions exist; for example, an applicant can sometimes be charged to a spouse's country of birth. Why it matters: it decides which column of the bulletin applies to you.
- Retrogression
- When a cutoff date moves backward because demand exceeds the visas available. Why it matters: a date that looked close can move further away.
October 2026 note: USCIS has told family-based adjustment applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart this month. Those cutoffs are November 1, 2014 for F3 and November 1, 2011 for F4 (most countries). USCIS decides this month by month, so always confirm the current chart before filing.
What are the F3 and F4 green card categories?
F3 and F4 are family preference categories. Unlike spouses, parents, and unmarried minor children of U.S. citizens, who are "immediate relatives" with no annual cap, preference relatives share a fixed number of visas each year. That cap is the reason they wait.
A U.S. citizen's married son or daughter
- Who files: the U.S. citizen parent
- Who qualifies: a son or daughter who is married, at any age
- Visas per year: 23,400, plus any left over from F1 and F2
A U.S. citizen's brother or sister
- Who files: the U.S. citizen sibling, who must be 21 or older
- Who qualifies: a brother or sister, married or single, at any age
- Visas per year: 65,000, plus any left over from F1, F2, and F3
Before you file, keep three rules in mind:
- The person filing must be a U.S. citizen. Green card holders cannot sponsor a brother, a sister, or a married son or daughter.
- A "sibling" means sharing at least one parent. Half-brothers and half-sisters qualify. Step-siblings and adopted siblings can also qualify, but extra conditions apply.
- Your relative's immediate family can usually come too. Their spouse and unmarried children under 21 can generally be included on the same petition. Each of them still uses a visa from the same yearly total.
For the full picture of how family sponsorship works, from immediate relatives to every preference category, see our Complete Guide to Family-Based Green Cards in 2026.
Which green card category applies to adult children?
The correct adult children green card category depends on the parent's immigration status and whether the child is married. These distinctions matter because each category has different eligibility requirements and Visa Bulletin dates.
Family preference categories at a glance
| Category | Who it covers | Who can file |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | Unmarried son or daughter, 21 or older | U.S. citizen parent |
| F2A | Spouse or unmarried child under 21 | Green card holder |
| F2B | Unmarried son or daughter, 21 or older | Green card holder parent |
| F3 | Married son or daughter, any age | U.S. citizen parent |
| F4 | Brother or sister | U.S. citizen sibling, age 21 or older |
Green card holders cannot sponsor married sons or daughters, or siblings.
- A U.S. citizen petitioning for an unmarried 25-year-old daughter would generally use F1.
- A green card holder petitioning for an unmarried 19-year-old son would generally use F2A, assuming he meets the applicable definition of a child.
- A green card holder petitioning for an unmarried 25-year-old daughter would generally use F2B.
- A U.S. citizen petitioning for a married 30-year-old son would generally use F3.
Marriage, age, and certain legal protections can affect a case's classification. If a child marries or turns 21 while a petition is pending, the consequences depend on the circumstances. Confirm the correct category before estimating a wait. We cover common changes in what to do while you wait.
F3 and F4 visa backlog: October 2026 dates
The table below shows the official cutoffs from the October 2026 Visa Bulletin for F3 and F4, by country of chargeability. The last column shows how far each Final Action Date trails October 1, 2026.
F3 and F4 cutoff dates, October 2026 Visa Bulletin
| Category | Country of chargeability | Final Action Date | Date for Filing | Line is behind by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F3 | All countries not listed (incl. China, India) | Oct. 22, 2014 | Nov. 1, 2014 | ~11 yrs, 11 mos |
| F3 | Philippines | Jul. 22, 2006 | Oct. 22, 2006 | ~20 yrs, 2 mos |
| F3 | Mexico | Jul. 1, 2001 | Dec. 1, 2002 | ~25 yrs, 3 mos |
| F4 | All countries not listed (incl. China) | Oct. 22, 2011 | Nov. 1, 2011 | ~14 yrs, 11 mos |
| F4 | India | Dec. 15, 2006 | Feb. 1, 2007 | ~19 yrs, 9 mos |
| F4 | Philippines | May 15, 2008 | Mar. 22, 2009 | ~18 yrs, 4 mos |
| F4 | Mexico | Apr. 22, 2001 | Apr. 30, 2001 | ~25 yrs, 5 mos |
Source: U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for October 2026.
How far behind each line is, in years
Final Action Date compared with October 1, 2026
What the gap does and does not tell you
The gap shows how far behind the line is today. It is not a forecast for a petition filed this year. Cutoff dates rarely advance one day for every day on the calendar; in some years they move months, in others weeks, and they can retrogress. A newly filed F4 petition for a most-countries applicant could wait longer than 15 years, and no one, including the government, can promise a specific date.
Why is the F3/F4 backlog so long?
Three factors help explain why families can wait many years.
Annual visa limits
Federal law limits the number of family-sponsored preference visas available. The F3 and F4 categories have statutory allocations, with additional numbers possible under rules governing unused visas from other categories. When demand exceeds the available supply, applicants must wait.
Per-country limits
Visa allocation rules can lead to different cutoff dates for applicants chargeable to different countries. The October 2026 bulletin shows substantial differences between the dates for most countries and those for Mexico, India, and the Philippines.
Demand exceeds supply
Many families have petitions in the queue, but the number of visas available is limited. An approved petition does not automatically make a visa available or move an applicant ahead of people with earlier priority dates.
Even when a priority date reaches the Final Action Date, the process may not be complete. Required documents, case processing, interviews where applicable, medical examinations, and other eligibility checks may remain.
Not sure which line your family is in? You don't need to know the category before reaching out. That's part of what we help you determine.
Understand Your OptionsHow to check your place in line
Once you have your I-130 receipt or approval notice, you can read the Visa Bulletin yourself in a few minutes.
- Confirm the category. Check whether the case is F3 or F4. For adult children, check which of F1, F2A, F2B, or F3 applies today, since it can change.
- Find the priority date. It appears on the Form I-797 receipt or approval notice as the "priority date," usually the date USCIS received the petition.
- Choose the right country column. Use the beneficiary's country of chargeability, normally the country of birth, not citizenship or residence.
- Compare against the correct chart. Your priority date must be earlier than the listed cutoff. Use Final Action Dates for approval and Dates for Filing to see whether paperwork can start.
- Check again every month. The bulletin is usually released in the middle of the month before it takes effect. Don't assume steady movement.
Ana was born in Brazil. Her U.S. citizen brother filed an I-130 for her, and USCIS received it on March 3, 2011. Brazil isn't listed separately, so Ana uses the "all chargeability areas" column. Her priority date is earlier than the October 2026 F4 Final Action Date of October 22, 2011, so a visa number may be available. Her case can move toward final processing, provided she meets the other requirements.
Which Visa Bulletin chart should you use?
The answer depends on where the beneficiary will complete the case:
- Outside the United States (consular processing): The National Visa Center generally uses the Dates for Filing chart to invite applicants to submit documents. The immigrant visa can only be issued once the Final Action Date is reached. Learn more about consular processing.
- Inside the United States (adjustment of status): USCIS announces each month which chart applies to Form I-485 filings. A beneficiary must also be eligible to adjust, which depends on how they entered and their immigration history. See our adjustment of status page for more.
Check the current month's designation on the USCIS Visa Bulletin page and the official cutoffs on the Department of State Visa Bulletin page.
What can you do while you wait?
You can't speed up visa availability. You can keep the case in good shape so nothing stalls when the date arrives.
Keep records and contact details current
Update your address with USCIS and, once the case reaches the National Visa Center, keep your contact information current there. Store receipt notices, approval notices, civil documents, and correspondence in one place. When the NVC contacts you, respond promptly. Under the law, a registration can be terminated if the applicant does not act within one year of being notified that a visa is available.
Understand how family changes affect the category
- An F3 beneficiary who divorces generally converts to F1 and keeps the original priority date.
- An F1 beneficiary who marries generally converts to F3, which is often a longer wait.
- An F2B beneficiary who marries loses eligibility, because green card holders cannot petition for married children.
- A green card holder parent who naturalizes generally moves an F2B case into F1. In some cases, the beneficiary can ask to stay in F2B if that line is moving faster.
Each of these can help or hurt depending on the country and the current bulletin. Get legal advice before a change you can plan, such as a wedding date.
Plan ahead for children who may age out
A sibling's or married child's own children can immigrate as derivatives only while they are unmarried and under 21. Over a 15-year wait, many children cross that line. The Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) can reduce a child's age for immigration purposes in some cases, but it does not protect every child, and it often requires acting within a set time once a visa becomes available. If children are part of your plan, ask an immigration attorney how CSPA applies to your family.
Know what a pending petition does not do
A pending or approved F3 or F4 petition does not, by itself, give the beneficiary permission to live, work, or stay in the United States. It can also affect temporary visa applications, because consular officers may weigh the immigrant petition when deciding whether someone intends to return home. Depending on the family's circumstances, other family-based or employment-based pathways may be worth exploring.
Prepare for the final stage
Birth and marriage certificates, police certificates, and passports can take months to obtain in some countries. The U.S. citizen petitioner will also need to sign an Affidavit of Support (Form I-864) showing enough income or assets. Check current instructions before ordering documents, since some expire.
When you're ready for help with any of these steps, our family-based petition services cover the full process, from filing the I-130 through the priority date strategy and final interview.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a sibling green card take in 2026?
For most countries, about 15 years based on the current line. The October 2026 F4 Final Action Date is October 22, 2011, nearly 15 years behind. Applicants born in India, the Philippines, or Mexico wait longer, and a newly filed petition may take longer still. Your actual timeline depends on your priority date and country of chargeability.
How long does a green card for a married son or daughter take?
For most countries, about 12 years based on the current line. The October 2026 F3 Final Action Date is October 22, 2014. Mexico and the Philippines have much longer F3 lines. If the son or daughter divorces, the case generally converts to F1, which may change the wait.
Why are Mexico and the Philippines further behind?
Because of the per-country limit. No single country can receive more than 7% of the year's combined family and employment preference visas. Demand from Mexico and the Philippines far exceeds that share, so their cutoff dates trail the rest of the world. India's F4 line is behind for the same reason.
Can a green card holder sponsor a sibling or married adult child?
No. F3 and F4 are only for relatives of U.S. citizens. Green card holders can petition for spouses and unmarried children (F2A and F2B). If you are eligible to naturalize, becoming a citizen opens the F3 and F4 categories to your family.
Does a current priority date mean I get my green card right away?
No. It means a visa number may be available for final action. The case still needs required documents, fees, a medical exam, security checks, and usually an interview before a green card or immigrant visa is approved.
Can Dates for Filing get me a green card sooner?
Not directly. Dates for Filing lets eligible applicants start final paperwork earlier, and in months USCIS allows it, file for adjustment of status. Final approval still waits for the Final Action Date, but starting early can shorten the time between a date becoming current and approval.
How often do Visa Bulletin dates change?
Every month. The Department of State usually releases each bulletin in the middle of the prior month. Dates can advance, stay the same, or move backward, so always check the latest bulletin rather than relying on an older estimate.
Every family's situation is different.
Long waits leave many families unsure what to plan for. Whether you need to confirm your category, read your priority date, or understand how a marriage, divorce, or citizenship could affect your case, we'll explain where you stand and what comes next.
You don't need to know which process applies before reaching out.
Justin Kadich
Justin's practice is dedicated to family-based immigration, helping U.S. citizens and permanent residents understand their options and bring their families together.
