Country GuideMexico and Philippines Family-Based Backlog: F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4 Waits
Family-based immigrant categories from Mexico and the Philippines face the longest waits in the entire immigrant-visa system. This guide explains the five preference categories, the current Visa Bulletin posture for both countries, and how Child Status Protection Act (CSPA) calculations work for backlogged categories.
The five family-based preference categories
Family-based immigration outside the immediate-relative category falls into five preferences: F1 (unmarried adult sons/daughters of U.S. citizens), F2A (spouses and minor children of LPRs), F2B (unmarried adult sons/daughters of LPRs), F3 (married sons/daughters of U.S. citizens), and F4 (siblings of U.S. citizens).
Each category has a separate annual numerical limit and per-country cap. Mexico and the Philippines consistently exceed their per-country allocations, producing decades-long waits in most categories.
Mexico backlog overview
F4 Mexico is the most-backlogged category in the entire Visa Bulletin, with priority dates currently in the late 1990s. F1 Mexico runs in the early 2000s; F3 Mexico in the late 1990s; F2A Mexico is generally current or near-current; F2B Mexico runs in the early 2000s.
Filing the I-130 immediately remains essential because the priority date locks in on the day USCIS receives the petition.
Philippines backlog overview
Philippines F4 priority dates are also in the early 2000s. F1, F2B, and F3 Philippines all run multiple decades behind. F2A Philippines is generally current.
Filing the I-130 from the Philippines is identical in form and fee to filing from any other country — only the wait differs.
CSPA for backlogged family preferences
The Child Status Protection Act allows derivative children to subtract the I-130 pendency time from their age at visa availability. For multi-decade waits, CSPA calculations frequently determine whether a derivative child can still immigrate as a child or must convert to F2B / F3 in their own right.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does filing the I-130 give the beneficiary any U.S. status?
No. An approved I-130 establishes the qualifying relationship and locks in the priority date but confers no work authorization, no visa, and no permission to enter the United States. The beneficiary must wait for the priority date to become current and then either consular-process or, if eligible, file Form I-485.
Can the beneficiary visit the U.S. during the wait?
Visitor visas are decided at the consulate's discretion. Having an approved I-130 makes establishing nonimmigrant intent harder but is not an automatic disqualifier. Petitioners should consult an immigration attorney about specific cases.
What happens if the petitioner dies during the wait?
INA § 204(l) allows surviving relatives to continue many family-based petitions if they were residing in the U.S. when the petitioner died and continue to reside in the U.S. The rules are technical — an immigration attorney should review any case involving a deceased petitioner.
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Start Drafting →Data sourced from USCIS.gov. For informational purposes only. Not legal advice.