Immigrant : Permanent Status : Family Based

U.S. citizens can petition for parents, spouses, siblings, and children. Permanent Residents (LPR) can petition for spouses and children only. There is no quota or limit and, therefore, no waiting list for "Immediate Relatives" of U.S. Citizens -Unmarried children under 21, Spouse, Parent, Widow / Widower (under certain circumstances). Relatives in the following "preference" categories are subject to limits on the number of visas that can be issued each year.

First Preference - Unmarried sons or daughters (over age 21) of U.S. citizens.

Second Preference - (2A) Spouses and unmarried children (under age 21) of LPRs; (2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (over age 21) of LPRs.

Third Preference - Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.

Fourth Preference - Brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens.

DIVERSITY VISA : DV-1 Visas (the "Green Card Lottery")
Started in October 1994 as the permanent Diversity Program for natives of certain countries that have provided relatively few immigrants to the U.S. in recent years. Annually, 55,000 visas are given away in a random drawing to individuals from countries underrepresented in the total immigrant pool.