US family visa wait could stretch to 15 years, here’s why

For some Malawians hoping to join family members in the United States, the American dream could come with a wait of up to 15 years, depending on their relationship with the relative sponsoring them.

The September 2026 Visa Bulletin, issued by the US Department of State, shows that applicants in some family preference categories may face years of waiting before their priority dates become current and they can move forward with their applications.

The bulletin explains that foreign citizens must obtain an immigrant visa and meet specific criteria to live permanently in the US, dividing family-based immigration into two categories: Immediate Relative visas and Family Preference visas.

Immediate Relative visas cover spouses of US citizens, unmarried children under 21, and parents of US citizens aged 21 or older.

These visa categories have no annual numerical limit, meaning that once a petition is approved, there is generally no wait for a visa to become available.

Most other family relationships fall under the Family Preference category, which is limited to 226,000 visas per fiscal year. Because demand exceeds this cap, applicants must wait in a backlog until their priority date becomes current.

The September 2026 bulletin provides the cutoff dates for Family Preference applicants from foreign countries/nations. Since these applicants are listed under the standard “all chargeability areas” dates, they are not subject to the heavier backlogs applied to countries like China, India, Mexico, and the Philippines.

As of September 2026, the final action dates for foreign national applicants, including Malawians, are: F1 (unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens, 21+) January 22, 2020; F2A (spouses and children of permanent residents/Green Card holders) August 22, 2026; F2B (unmarried sons and daughters of permanent residents, 21+) August 22, 2019; F3 (married sons and daughters of US citizens) October 22, 2014; F4 (brothers and sisters of adult US citizens) October 22, 2011.

These dates reflect how long applicants have been waiting; for example, a Malawian applying under the F4 category is currently processing cases filed over 15 years ago.

The State Department also includes a caution to applicants that visa availability can change. The bulletin notes that “retrogression may become necessary if demand increases or annual limits are reached,” meaning these dates could move backward in future months, potentially extending waiting periods for families in affected categories.