How to Get American F2B Visa Based on Family Preference
The American F2B visa is of great importance if you intend to bring your children who have reached the age of maturity along with you to the United States.
With a work visa, you will likely be moving to the United States on your own when you initially arrive. You will be traveling there alone, without your family or anyone to help you feel at ease.
You eventually become a permanent resident, if not a citizen, but you soon discover you are still alone in a new land.
The good news is that after you have acquired the status of lawful permanent resident, you have complete freedom to bring your family with you, but all you will need is an American F2 visa.
This post will explain the American F2B visa, including what it is, what it requires, how to apply, and other important information you need to know about the Visa.
About American F2B Visa
The F2B visa, commonly known as the Family Preference visa, is granted to the green card holder’s single or unmarried offspring. These children must be above 21 and show that they are the lawful (birth or adopted) offspring of a parent who is legally residing in the United States.
The F2B visa gives you the chance to reunite with your family. It also gives your children the legal right to study, live, and work in the United States. Their stay might be permanent and lawful with the F2B visa.
F2A and F2B are the two types of F2 visas available. The amount of F2 visas granted each year is regulated at roughly 114,200, with 70% going to F2A visas and 30% to F2B visas.
Green Card holders can use the F2B visa to reunite with their children in the United States. Your child will be able to lawfully live, work, and study in the United States.
Eligibility Criteria for the F2B Visa
If your child is unmarried and over the age of 21, they will be eligible for a Green Card through the F2B visa path. Keep in mind that if the child marries before the petition is approved, they would lose their F2B visa eligibility.
Furthermore, the youngster will be required to fill out application forms and submit a variety of papers as part of their application.
The most crucial of these documents is a birth or adoption certificate that proves the child’s link with the Green Cardholder.
Requirements for the American F2B Visa
Applicants for F2B visas must provide a variety of papers with their application. These are some of them:
- The passport is valid for 6 months after the date of intended arrival in the United States.
- A valid birth or adoption certificate is required.
- A completed Form I-864 (Affidavit of Support from a U.S. Petitioner) and a confirmation page on Form DS-260
- Medical records and immunization certificates
- Two images that meet the photo criteria for a visa to the United States, as well as criminal records and/or a police certificate
- If the applicant has previously been married, they must provide divorce records or death certificates to establish the marriage was legally ended.
- Military credentials must be submitted if the candidate has served in the military.
Any papers written in a language other than English must be translated by a certified translator. The application will not be approved if the documents are not written in English.
How to Apply for the American F2B Visa
The F2B visa application is divided into two parts:
1. Filling the petition
Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative to USCIS, is required of US LPRs. As part of USCIS, the petition is sent to the Department of Homeland Security. The LPR is required to pay a fee, which USCIS specifies.
After that, USCIS processes the petition and responds to the LPR. If the petition is denied, the reason for the decision will be stated. This implies the LPR can revise its application and resubmit the petition.
The LPR will be notified whether the petition is authorized, and USCIS will transmit the paperwork to the National Visa Center (NVC) for processing.
After reviewing the case, the NVC will provide the applicant (adult child) with a packet with instructions on what to do next. It will provide the case number and invoice ID number that the applicant would require for their US Embassy application.
The package will include documents and fee requirements, as well as a step-by-step guide to the rest of the procedure.
The applicant must wait for their date to be current before proceeding to step two. Because the number of F2B visas is limited, this is the case.
If the quota for this year is met, you will have to wait until the next batch of F2B visas is released. NVC will notify you when your date is up to date, and you may begin applying for the visa.
2. Applying for the F2B Visa
When your date becomes current, you’ll be able to step by step through the NVC guidelines to guarantee that your application is error-free and accepted by the US Embassy.
The adult child must complete this phase of the application procedure at the US Embassy or Consulate in their country of residency. The documents will be sent to the Embassy so that they may evaluate the material as well.
The following steps can be taken to apply for the American F2B Visa
Step 1. File Form DS-260
All candidates for immigrant visas must fill out Form DS-260, Immigrant Visa Electronic Application. The application is completed online and will examine your personal or history information as well as your reasons for wanting to move to the United States.
Enter your NVC case number and invoice ID number to gain access. Fill in the required areas, and after submitting it, you will receive a confirmation page and number, which you must include in your documents file with NVC.
Step 2. Complete medical examination and vaccination
If you want to come to the United States, you must first undergo a medical check and receive the proper vaccinations. The NVC will provide you with a list of required check-ups from a registered doctor, as well as a list of immunizations you require. Both of them must be completed, and the paperwork must be ready to submit to NVC.
3. Compile documents file
You must also give the NVC supporting documents, which verify your eligibility for the F2B visa, in addition to the application forms and medical documentation. The following items must be included in the documents file:
- Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months after your scheduled entrance into the United States.
- Affidavit of Support from the US petitioner or LPR (applicant’s parent) signed Form I-864
- Page 2 of the DS-260 confirmation form
- Medical records and immunization certificates
- According to the Photo Requirements for a USA Visa, two images are required.
- Your birth certificate or adoption certificate must be valid.
- judicial and criminal records, as well as a police certificate
- If you’ve been married before, you’ll need to provide divorce papers or death certificates to confirm the marriage was legally ended.
- You must bring your service records if you served in the military.
After you’ve gathered all of the documentation you’ll need for your US visa, you can start looking into health insurance choices.
4. Attend the interview
Before you can acquire your visa, you must go through an interview. The NVC will arrange your interview at the US Embassy or Consulate in your country of residency once they have processed all of your paperwork and determined that you meet the requirements.
You must go on that certain date and at that specific hour. An embassy officer will interview you to decide if you are eligible for the F2B visa.
5. Receive NVC packet and travel to the US
If your visa is granted, the US Embassy will stamp it in your passport, allowing you to enter the country.
In addition, the Embassy will provide you with a sealed packet that you will be unable to access under any circumstances.
When you travel to the United States, you must bring the package with you and have it opened by a US immigration official.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the costs of an American F2B visa?
Various fees must be paid by both the petitioner and the applicant during the F2B visa application procedure. USCIS, the Department of Homeland Security, and the specific US Embassy or Consulate where you are applying determine the amounts.
The following are the primary types of fees that must be paid:
- Fee for submitting Form I-130
- Fee for completing Form DS-260
- Fees for medical examinations and vaccinations
- Fees for obtaining and translating all supporting documentation
- Immigrant Processing Center (USCIS) Fee that you must pay after receiving your visa and before traveling to the United States. If you do not pay this fee, USCIS will not grant you a Green Card.
How long does it take to get an American F2B visa?
Unfortunately, there is no specific period that can be utilized to estimate how long the F2B visa will take to process.
Due to the restricted number of visas available, many people must wait for two or more years, with some instances taking up to seven years. As a result, you must simply wait until your date is current before beginning the application procedure.
Conclusion
The steps outlined above should assist you in applying for the American F2B visa. You can rest assured that your application will be processed smoothly and without any problems by the US Embassy.