F2B Visa
If you have family living in the UK and are looking to give them an opportunity to settle in the U.S., then you can apply for an F2B visa (Family Preference Visa). This visa allows green cardholders to petition their unmarried adult child to join them in the United States for up to 5 years.
If you are interested in applying for this family preference visa, give us a call at +1 844 312 4979 (US office) or +44 (0) 333 305 9375 (UK office). We are here to help you online, on the phone, or in person.
Contents:
- What is an F2B Visa?
- Who is eligible for the F2B Visa?
- Who can be a sponsor for the F2B Visa?
- How do I apply for an F2B Visa?
- Filing the Petition
- Petition Processing
- F2B Visa Application
- Form DS-260
- Medical Examination and Vaccinations
- Necessary Documents for an F2B Visa
- Visa Interview
- What are the fees for the F2B Visa?
What is an F2B Visa?
The F2B visa is a Family Preference U.S. visa that is issued exclusively to the unmarried adult children of Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs), aka green cardholders. In order to be eligible, the visa recipients must be over 21 years and sufficiently prove that they are the legal children of the green cardholder either by birth or adoption.
This F2B visa provides the opportunity for you to reunite with your family living in the UK or any other country while they live, study, and work in the United States.
It should be noted that failure to prove any direct relationship between the green cardholder and the applicant will lead to automatic disqualification for the F2B visa. However, once granted, the F2B visa allows the adult child to work and study in the US legally and permanently.
The F2B visa is a Family-Based Green Card categorized under the US Family Preference Visa together with the F2, F3, and F4 visas.
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Who is eligible for the F2B Visa?
Eligibility requirements apply to both the LPR (Sponsor) and the applicant. Eligibility requirements for the sponsor (LPR) include:
- The F2B visa sponsor must be a green card holder
- The green cardholder must be living in the United States with a verified American address
- The green cardholder must be the legal parents (birth or adoption) of the applicant who they are petitioning
- The applicant (sponsor’s child) must be over the age of 21
- The applicant must be unmarried
- The applicant must be the child of the green card holder or US LPR. Additionally, the applicant must have sufficient documents to prove this fact (for example, birth certificate or adoption papers)
It should be noted that if the applicant gets married before the petition is approved, they will automatically become ineligible for the F2B visa
Who can be a sponsor for the F2B Visa?
A sponsor, also known as the green card holder, permanent resident alien, or the lawful permanent resident (LPR), is a non-citizen who is lawfully authorized to reside in the US. The LPR may apply to become a US Citizen once they have fulfilled the eligibility requirements. A person is eligible to be a sponsor if they are a green card holder, live in the US with a verified address, and are the legal parent of the subject (applicant), whether biologically or by adoption.
How do I apply for an F2B Visa?
The F2B visa application process happens in two major stages. The first step in the application processing is filing the petition and sending it to the USCIS, followed by submitting the application by the applicant in their home country via the US consulate or embassy.
Unfortunately, the application process cannot proceed until USCIS approves the Lawful Permanent Resident’s petition on behalf of the adult child.
Filing the Petition
Filing the petition on behalf of the applicant is the first step in the F2B visa application process. To do this, the sponsor files Form I-130 (Petition for Alien Relative) to the USCIS. This petition is then forwarded to the Department of Homeland Security as an integral part of USCIS. In addition, the USCIS sets a fee for this process which the sponsor is required to pay.
Failure to submit the petition or rejection of the petition means you won’t be able to proceed with the application. Both the sponsor and the applicant need to complete the petition separately.
Petition Processing
After the petition is filed, the USCIS will then process the petition and send either an approval or rejection to the LPR. In the case of rejection, the USCIS provides detailed reasons, allowing the sponsor the opportunity to rectify any errors and re-submit the petition.
In the case of approval, the USCIS will then transfer the petition to the National Visa Center for further processing. Subsequently, the applicant (sponsor’s child) will receive an informational packet from the National Visa Center (NVC) in the next steps of the application process.
The packet will contain a case number and invoice ID number. The applicant will need these numbers at a later stage to provide to the US consulate or embassy.
However, before the next step, the applicant must wait for their day to be current owing to the yearly cut-offs. The applicant is required to wait in line for the next F2B visa batch. When the next slots are available, the National Visa Centre will inform the applicant to send in their application.
F2B Visa Application
Once the visa application slot becomes available, the applicant can now begin the second phase from their home country. The NVC will send follow-up instructions on how to proceed in the second phase of the application to the applicant.
The applicant (sponsor’s child) must complete this part of the F2B application process in the US consulate or embassy in their home country. In addition, the applicant will be required to pay the application fees at the US consulate or embassy. After payment, the applicant must submit the affidavit of support, the requested civil documents, and the application forms.
Form DS-260
The visa applicant is required to comply and file Form DS-260, also known as the Immigrant Visa Electronic Application. The applicant will do this online and access it using the NVC case number and invoice ID number. Here, the authorities will go through the applicant’s background information and their reasons for wanting to migrate to the US.
Medical Examination and Vaccinations
The medical examination along with necessary vaccinations are both mandatory for anyone interested in moving into the United States. The NVC will send a list of all the vaccinations and medical examinations that a licensed physician must conduct. In addition, the doctor must also ascertain that the applicant has taken all the required vaccines.
Necessary Documents for an F2B Visa
Getting your family to join you in the US can be one of the greatest opportunities for both you and them. Whether for study, work, or living, an F2B visa for UK citizens allows your unmarried child to join you in the US. However, due to the yearly cut-offs, it is advisable to start the F2B visa application process as early as possible. Most importantly, ensure you have all the relevant documents compiled before beginning the F2B visa application process.
In addition to the medical documents and application forms, an applicant must also send the NVC supporting documents proving they qualify for the F2B visa. These supporting documents may include the following:
- Birth certificate or adoption papers
- A valid passport
- Two photographs
- Military certificate (if relevant)
- Divorce certificate (if relevant)
- Death certificate (if applicable)
- Criminal or court records and police certificate
- Medical examination and vaccination documents
- Form DS-260 confirmation page
- A signed Form I-864 (This is an affidavit signed by the sponsor agreeing to take care of the applicant upon arrival in the country)
You should note that the passport must be valid for six months after planned entry into the country. In addition, if any document is not written in English, it must be translated by an accredited translator. If a document is not written in English, there is a high chance of disqualification or rejection during the application. Most importantly, ensure you have the original documents when applying for the visa.
Visa Interview
The US embassy or consulate in the applicant’s home country will arrange a mandatory visa interview with the applicant. The consulate/embassy interview is the last and most crucial step to get an F2B visa. An official from the US consulate or embassy will interview the applicant at a scheduled date and time to determine whether to approve or reject the applicant’s visa application.
If the F2B visa is successful, the US consulate or embassy will stamp the applicant’s visa, granting them the right to enter the US on the merit of the F2B visa.
In addition, the US consulate/embassy will give the applicant a sealed package which is not to be opened until arrival in the United States. The applicant must deliver this package unsealed and to the US immigration official who opens it upon arrival in the US.
What are the fees for the F2B Visa?
The expected fees for an F2B visa may include the following:
- I-130 fees ($535)
- Medical examination fees (costs vary)
- Vaccination fees (costs vary)
- Form DS-260 processing fee
- Document translation fees
- USCIS immigrant fee (this should be paid after receiving your visa and before traveling to the United States)
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With our Application Package, your dedicated immigration lawyer will assess your case, prepare your application, check your supporting documents and submit your forms on your behalf.
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Related pages for your continued reading.
Frequently Asked Questions
The F2B Visa processing time can even take quite a long while since the number of adult children allowed to enter the United States under this visa category is considerably small.
You can expect to wait years for a visa to become current. The average waiting time is about 2 years.
Every month, the Department of State issues an F2B Visa bulletin. This bulletin shows which visa applications can move forward and the estimated wait time left before their application can be processed. At you have filed your I-130 petition, you can check online your status and place in the waiting line.
Our lawyers at Total Law are experienced in applying for Family Preference Visas and are ready to support your application.
We can help you with the following:
- Liaising with you and your children regarding the visa application
- Checking the F2B Visa bulletin
- Reviewing and making sure that your documents are adequate enough to support your application
- Liaising with the NVC and the USCIS on your behalf
- Completing your petition and all your application forms
If you are seeking legal support for your visa application, get in touch today on +1 844 312 4979 (US office) or +44 (0) 333 305 9375 (UK office).
