This article was last updated May 20, 2025

Summary

Some individuals in the United States can apply to have their relatives join them in the United States. This guide lists some of the applications for family reunification. It does not cover every program for family-based applications.

Eligibility for family reunification programs generally depends on: 

• The legal status of the person in the United States. 
• The relationship between the person in the United States and their relative. 

It is also important to understand:

• All of the programs require documentation and other evidence to prove that the person in the U.S. is eligible to apply to reunite with their relative.
• Some programs have specific deadlines or fees. Some people could apply to more than one program to help the same relative. 
• In many situations, there is no relevant program to help more distant relatives.

For each program, this guide links to other articles for more information.

U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents in the United States

U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents can apply for some relatives to move to the United States. In some situations, relatives will have to wait for many years before they can move to the United States.

Lawful permanent residents (LPRs) are also called green card holders. They can apply for their spouse and unmarried children to come to the United States.

U.S. citizens can apply for their spouse and children of any age or marital status. U.S. citizens over the age of 21 can also apply for their siblings and parents. 

Individuals file a form called I-130 to start this application process. More information about the I-130 process is here.

Finally, U.S. citizens can also apply for their fiance to move to the United States, before they get married. They file a form called the I-129F to start this process. More information about the fiance visa process is here.

U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents with Syrian and Iraqi relatives

Previously, an Iraqi or Syrian national with an approved I-130 (as described above) could also apply for refugee status in the United States. However, in January 2025, President Trump issued an order pausing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Iraqi and Syrian Direct Access Programs are a part of USRAP, and therefore they are also paused. This means that at this time the U.S. government is not accepting new applications in this program.  

More information about the refugee resettlement pause is here.

More information about developments regarding the Direct Access Program for Iraqis and Syrians with approved I-130s is here.

U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents with Colombian, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Guatemalan, Haitian, or Salvadoran relatives

U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents with Colombian, Cuban, Ecuadorian, Guatemalan, Haitian, or Salvadoran relatives had previously been able to bring relatives through the Family Reunification Parole (FRP) process. However, the U.S. government stopped accepting FRP applications in January 2025. U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents can still continue to petition for relatives from these countries through I-130 Forms. You can find more information about the I-130 process here. 

Refugees and asylees in the United States

People who have approved asylum status in the United States can apply to reunite with their spouse. They can also apply to reunite with their children, depending on the age and marital status of the children. They can do so using a form called the I-730. There is a two-year deadline to apply for this program. More information about the I-730 process is here.

Like asylees, people who were resettled as refugees in the United States can apply to reunite with their spouses and unmarried children under 21 years old through an I-730 Form. However, in January 2025, President Trump issued an order pausing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). I-730 cases on behalf of resettled refugees’ relatives are affected by this pause.  More information about the I-730 process is here, and more information about the current resettlement pause here.

There is also another program for family members of people with refugee or asylum status, as well as Afghan and Iraqi SIVs, called the “Priority 3” family reunification program. However, in January 2025, President Trump issued an order pausing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The Priority 3 program is not accepting new applications at this time. More information about the Priority 3 process is here, and more information about the current resettlement pause here.

Iraqi and Afghan SIVs in the United States

Iraqi and Afghan Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) recipients in the United States can apply for their spouse and children in some situations to join them. This is called “following to join” the SIV. More information is in this IRAP guide for relatives of SIV recipients.

Afghan parolees separated from their spouses and children

The Department of State has a website for Afghan Family Reunification. The website has a form for Afghans who were evacuated to the United States and who were granted parole and remain in their period of parole or were granted temporary protected status to request family reunification. The form is called the DS-4317 and is available here. 

Iranian religious minorities with relatives in the United States

People legally residing in the United States were previously able to help their Iranian religious minority relatives apply for refugee resettlement under the Lautenberg Program. However, in January 2025, President Trump issued an order pausing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The Lautenberg Program is part of USRAP, and it is not accepting new applications at this time. More information about the Lautenberg Program is available here, and more information about the current resettlement pause here.

People from El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras with relatives in the United States 

The Central American Minors (CAM) program is a legal pathway for children and other family members facing persecution or danger in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras to reunite with parents who are lawfully present in the United States. However, in January 2025, President Trump issued an order pausing the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). The CAM Program is part of USRAP, and it is not accepting new applications at this time. More information about the CAM Program is here, and more information about the current resettlement pause here.