FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
First: (F1) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.
Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:
A. (F2A) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;
B. (F2B) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents: 23% of the overall second preference limitation.
Third: (F3) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.
Fourth: (F4) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.
On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); “C” means current, i.e., numbers are available for all qualified applicants; and “U” means unavailable, i.e., no numbers are available. (NOTE: Numbers are available only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below.)
| Family-Sponsored | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | CHINA-mainland born | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 01FEB05 | 01FEB05 | 01FEB05 | 01MAY93 | 22JUN97 |
| F2A | 22JUL09 | 22JUL09 | 22JUL09 | 01JUL09 | 22JUL09 |
| F2B | 15NOV03 | 15NOV03 | 15NOV03 | 01DEC92 | 08DEC01 |
| F3 | 01JAN02 | 01JAN02 | 01JAN02 | 08JAN93 | 22JUL92 |
| F4 | 08OCT00 | 08OCT00 | 08OCT00 | 22MAY96 | 22DEC88 |
*NOTE: For March, F2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 01JUL09. F2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 01JUL09 and earlier than 22JUL09. (All F2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit; there are no F2A numbers for MEXICO subject to per-country limit.)