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Nigerians seeking to relocate permanently to the United States through family sponsorship have two major immigrant visa pathways to consider under the US family-based immigration system.
The US Department of State, in its September 2026 Visa Bulletin, identified the two broad categories as Immediate Relative visas and Family Preference visas, each with different eligibility requirements and waiting periods.
Immediate Relative visas
The Immediate Relative category is available to certain close relatives of US citizens.
According to the State Department, eligible applicants include spouses of US citizens, unmarried children under the age of 21 of US citizens, and parents of US citizens who are at least 21 years old.
Unlike family preference categories, Immediate Relative visas are not subject to an annual numerical limit. This means eligible applicants are not placed under the same annual quota system that applies to preference categories, although other visa processing requirements still apply.
Family Preference visas
The second route is the Family Preference category, which covers specific relatives of US citizens and lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green-card holders.
The category is divided into five classifications:
F1: Unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 or older of US citizens.
F2A: Spouses and children of lawful permanent residents.
F2B: Unmarried sons and daughters aged 21 or older of lawful permanent residents.
F3: Married sons and daughters of US citizens.
F4: Brothers and sisters of adult US citizens.
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Unlike Immediate Relative visas, Family Preference visas are subject to annual numerical limits. Applicants may therefore have to wait until a visa becomes available based on their priority date.
The State Department said the fiscal year 2026 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants is 226,000.
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin provides final action dates for the various preference categories, determining which applicants can have their immigrant visas issued based on their priority dates.
For applicants from countries not separately listed in the bulletin, the September final action dates include January 22, 2020, for F1; August 22, 2026, for F2A; August 22, 2019, for F2B; October 22, 2014, for F3; and October 22, 2011, for F4.
The State Department maintains separate final action dates for applicants chargeable to countries including China, India, Mexico and the Philippines because of country-specific visa limits and demand.
For Nigerians pursuing US permanent residence through a family member, the distinction between the two categories is particularly important.
An applicant who qualifies as an immediate relative of a US citizen is not subject to the annual numerical limit applicable to family preference immigrants.
Those applying under the preference categories, however, may face waiting periods because visas are allocated according to annual limits and priority dates.
The State Department also warned that visa availability can change during the fiscal year. If demand rises significantly or available numbers are exhausted, the government may move final action dates backwards, a process known as retrogression.
Applicants should therefore check the latest Visa Bulletin and ensure they understand their specific visa category, priority date and country of chargeability before making relocation plans.
