Can I Bring My Family to the U.S.? Who You Can Sponsor
Yes, you can bring family to the U.S., but who you can sponsor and how fast depends on whether you are a citizen or a green card holder and your relationship to them. Bringing family to the U.S. works through family-based immigration: U.S. citizens can sponsor spouses, children, parents, and siblings, while green card holders can sponsor spouses and unmarried children. Immediate relatives of citizens have no visa wait, while other relatives fall into preference categories with longer waits.
This guide explains who you can sponsor and how the process works. It connects to our guides on sponsoring a spouse und bringing parents to the U.S.
Want to reunite with family in the U.S.? Atlas Legal can map who you can sponsor and the timeline. Kontaktieren Sie unser Team Um loszulegen.
Wichtigste Erkenntnisse
- U.S. citizens can sponsor spouses, children, parents, and siblings.
- Green card holders can sponsor spouses and unmarried children.
- Immediate relatives of citizens have no annual visa wait.
- Other relatives fall into preference categories with waits.
- The process starts with Form I-130 and a qualifying relationship.
Inhalt dieses Leitfadens
- Who a citizen can sponsor
- Who a green card holder can sponsor
- Immediate relatives vs preference
- How the process works
- The income requirement
- Häufig gestellte Fragen
Who a Citizen Can Sponsor
U.S. citizens have the broadest ability to sponsor family. They can petition for a spouse, children of any age or marital status, parents, and siblings. This covers a wide range of relatives, from immediate family to extended ones.
The category and wait depend on the relationship. A citizen’s spouse, parents, and unmarried children under 21 are immediate relatives with no visa wait, while adult children, married children, and siblings fall into preference categories.
Who a Green Card Holder Can Sponsor
Green card holders can sponsor a narrower group: a spouse and unmarried children. They cannot petition for parents, siblings, or married children.
These relatives fall into preference categories, so they wait for a visa to become available. If a permanent resident naturalizes, their ability to sponsor expands and some relatives move to the no-wait immediate relative track.
Immediate Relatives vs Preference
The single biggest factor in timing is whether your relative is an immediate relative or in a preference category. This determines whether they wait for a visa number:
| Relationship | Kategorie |
|---|---|
| Spouse, parent, or child under 21 of a citizen | Immediate relative, no wait |
| Spouse or unmarried child of a green card holder | Preference (F2A/F2B) |
| Adult or married child, or sibling of a citizen | Preference, often long waits |
Immediate relatives can move forward as soon as documents are ready, while preference relatives wait until their priority date is current in the Visa Bulletin.
How the Process Works
The process starts with Form I-130, which establishes the qualifying family relationship. After approval, the relative either goes through consular processing abroad or adjusts status in the U.S. if eligible and a visa is available.
For immediate relatives already in the U.S., the I-130 and I-485 can sometimes be filed together. Our guide on what happens after I-130 approval explains the next steps.
Not sure which relatives you can sponsor or how long it takes? A quick review can map it out. Ask Atlas Legal to help.
The Income Requirement
Sponsors must generally file an Affidavit of Support, promising to support the relative financially. You must show income at or above the required level for your household size, or use assets or a joint sponsor to make up any gap.
Insufficient income is a common delay in family cases. Our guide on Anforderungen an Mitveranstalter explains how to address an income shortfall.
Wann sollte man einen Anwalt für Einwanderungsrecht hinzuziehen?
Family cases are common but depend on relationship, status, and timing. Legal help is valuable when you are unsure which relatives you can sponsor, when a child may age out, when the sponsor’s income is tight, when a relative has any prior immigration or criminal issue, or when you are choosing between consular processing and adjustment. An attorney can sequence the case and prepare the documents. Outcomes depend on the facts of each case.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Can I bring my family to the U.S.?
Yes, through family-based immigration, but who you can sponsor depends on your status. U.S. citizens can sponsor a spouse, children, parents, and siblings, while green card holders can sponsor a spouse and unmarried children. Immediate relatives of citizens have no visa wait, while other relatives fall into preference categories with longer waits. The process starts with Form I-130 and a qualifying relationship.
Who can a U.S. citizen sponsor?
A U.S. citizen can sponsor a spouse, children of any age or marital status, parents, and siblings. The category and wait depend on the relationship: a spouse, parents, and unmarried children under 21 are immediate relatives with no visa wait, while adult children, married children, and siblings fall into preference categories that can involve waits of years, depending on the category and country.
Who can a green card holder sponsor?
A green card holder can sponsor a spouse and unmarried children, in preference categories F2A and F2B. They cannot petition for parents, siblings, or married children. These relatives wait for a visa to become available. If the permanent resident naturalizes, their sponsorship ability expands, and some relatives move to the no-wait immediate relative track, which can significantly shorten the timeline.
How long does it take to bring family to the U.S.?
It depends on the category. Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens have no visa wait and can move forward as soon as documents are ready, though processing still takes time. Preference relatives wait until their priority date is current in the Visa Bulletin, which can be months or years depending on the relationship and country. Checking your category gives the most accurate picture.
Can I sponsor my parents or siblings?
Only U.S. citizens can sponsor parents or siblings. A citizen can petition for a parent as an immediate relative, with no visa wait, and for a sibling in the F4 preference category, which has long waits. Green card holders cannot sponsor parents or siblings. If you are a permanent resident and want to bring a parent or sibling, you would generally need to naturalize first.
What is the income requirement to sponsor family?
Sponsors must generally file an Affidavit of Support and show income at or above the required level for their household size, or use assets or a joint sponsor to make up any gap. Insufficient income is a common cause of delay in family cases. Planning for the income requirement early, and lining up a joint sponsor if needed, helps keep the case moving smoothly.
Does my family have to be abroad to be sponsored?
No. You can sponsor a relative who lives abroad, who completes consular processing, or a relative already in the U.S. in a qualifying situation, who may adjust status. Immediate relatives in the U.S. and eligible can sometimes file the I-130 and I-485 together. The right path depends on where the relative is, how they entered, and their current status.
Can I bring my fiancé to the U.S.?
A U.S. citizen can bring a fiancé on a K-1 fiancé visa, which allows the couple to marry in the U.S. within a set time and then apply for a green card. This is separate from sponsoring a spouse, which applies after marriage. Whether the K-1 or a spousal route fits depends on your situation, such as where you are and whether you are already married.
Fazit
You can bring family to the U.S. through family-based immigration, but who you sponsor depends on your status: citizens can sponsor spouses, children, parents, and siblings, while green card holders can sponsor spouses and unmarried children. Immediate relatives of citizens have no wait; others wait in preference categories. The process starts with Form I-130. Each case depends on its own facts.
If you want to reunite with family, Atlas Legal Immigration Law can guide you. Reach us at 1750 E Golf Rd, Büro 214, Schaumburg, IL 60173, anrufen (+1) 872 382 2762, oder per E-Mail info@theatlaslegal.com. Erfahren Sie mehr auf unserer services page.
Reviewed by the Atlas Legal Immigration Law editorial team. Last reviewed on July 24, 2026.
Quellen
- US-Einwanderungs- und Staatsbürgerschaftsbehörde, Familienangehörige von US-Bürgern
- US-Einwanderungs- und Staatsbürgerschaftsbehörde, Family of Green Card Holders
- US-Außenministerium, Einwanderung von Familien
Dieser Artikel dient ausschließlich allgemeinen Informationszwecken und stellt keine Rechtsberatung dar. Einwanderungsgesetze, behördliche Gebühren, Richtlinien und Bearbeitungszeiten können sich ändern. Das Lesen dieses Artikels oder die Kontaktaufnahme mit Atlas Legal begründet für sich genommen noch kein Mandatsverhältnis. Der Ausgang einer Einwanderungsangelegenheit hängt von den jeweiligen individuellen Fakten und Umständen ab.
