Last reviewed September 2026
Overview: F2A covers the spouse and unmarried children under 21 of a lawful permanent resident. F2B covers the unmarried son or daughter, 21 or older, of a lawful permanent resident. Both fall under the same overall family preference category and share a combined visa allocation, but they move at different paces under the Visa Bulletin, and a child can shift from one to the other simply by turning 21, subject to Child Status Protection Act adjustments.
Who qualifies under F2A
F2A covers the spouse of a green card holder and their unmarried children who are under 21. This subcategory generally receives priority within the combined F2 allocation and has historically moved faster than F2B.
Who qualifies under F2B
F2B covers the unmarried son or daughter of a green card holder who is 21 or older. Once a child ages past 21, without CSPA protection applying, their case generally shifts from F2A into F2B rather than being lost entirely, though this shift can mean a longer remaining wait.
Why the two share an allocation but move differently
Congress created F2A and F2B as related subcategories within the broader F2 preference, with a portion of the overall F2 numbers reserved specifically for F2A, which is part of why F2A has generally moved faster than F2B under the Visa Bulletin.
How a child can shift between the two categories
A child on an F2A case who turns 21 during the wait may shift into F2B, generally keeping their original priority date, though whether they qualify for continued F2A treatment instead depends on the Child Status Protection Act's age calculation and the one-year sought-to-acquire requirement.
What happens if the sponsoring permanent resident naturalizes
If the permanent resident parent naturalizes while an F2A case is pending, the spouse and any qualifying unmarried children under 21 generally convert to immediate relative status, removing the cap entirely, while an F2B son or daughter 21 or older instead converts to the F1 category.
Confirming which subcategory currently applies
Because age, marital status, and the sponsoring relative's citizenship status can all change the applicable category over the life of a pending petition, checking current status against these specific facts, rather than assuming the original filing category still applies, matters at each stage.
Official sources
Related reading
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