• First Preference: Unmarried, adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens. Adult means 21 years of age or older.
  
  
• Second Preference: Spouses of lawful permanent residents, and the unmarried sons and daughters (regardless of age) of lawful permanent residents and their children.
  
  
• Third Preference: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, their spouses and their minor children.
  
  
• Fourth Preference: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens, their spouses and their minor children.

All people who want to become immigrants based on employment must wait for an immigrant visa number to become available according to the following preferences:

• First Preference: Priority Workers including aliens with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors and researchers, and certain multinational executives and managers.
  
  
• Second Preference: Members of Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability.
  
  
• Third Preference: Skilled Workers, professionals and other qualified workers.
  
  
• Fourth: Certain special immigrants including those in religious vocations.
  
  
• Fifth: Employment Creation Immigrants.

Applying for an Immigrant Visa Number

You do not directly apply for an immigrant visa number. In most cases, your relative or employer sends a visa petition to the USCIS for you (the beneficiary) to become an immigrant. (Certain applicants such as priority workers, investors, certain special immigrants, and diversity immigrants can petition on their own behalf.) USCIS will tell the person who filed the visa petition (the petitioner) if the visa petition is approved. USCIS will then send the approved visa petition to the Department of State's National Visa Center, where it will remain until an immigrant visa number is available. The Center will notify you (the beneficiary of the application) when the visa petition is received and again when an immigrant visa number is available. You do not need to contact the National Visa Center, unless you change your address or there is a change in your personal situation that may affect your eligibility for an immigrant visa.