Who this is for: Readers born in mainland China who want to know which route they (or family members) could take to a U.S. green card. This guide puts family, marriage, employment, investment and other routes in one picture and explains the visa bulletin waits and DV lottery limits that apply to people born in mainland China. Click through to each guide for details.
⚠️ All fees, dates and policies here were checked against USCIS and State Department sites on 2026-10-14. Visa bulletin dates change monthly and fees and form editions change often, so check the official links again before filing.
1. Three concepts to understand first
1. Is there a numerical limit?
- Immediate relatives (IR): spouses of U.S. citizens, unmarried children under 21, and parents of U.S. citizens age 21 or older. No annual limit and no waiting for a visa number.
- Preference categories: other family categories (F1–F4) and employment categories (EB-1 to EB-5) have annual limits, and you wait in line by your "priority date." The law sets at least 226,000 family preference and at least 140,000 employment numbers a year; each country (by place of birth) is generally limited to 7% of the total, or 25,620. ⚠️ Mainland China is one of the "oversubscribed" countries, so many categories move more slowly than for other countries.
2. Your place of birth, not your nationality, decides your line "CHINA-mainland born" in the visa bulletin means born in mainland China, regardless of the passport you hold now. People born in Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan are not in the "mainland China-born" column (which column applies follows official guidance; note that the DV lottery has separate limits for people born in Hong Kong; see below). If your spouse was born in another country, you can sometimes "borrow" your spouse's country (cross-chargeability); see Reading the visa bulletin.
3. Two ways to process
- Adjustment of status (AOS, Form I-485): you are already lawfully in the U.S. and switch to a green card inside the U.S.
- Consular processing (CP): you are in China; after the I-130/I-140 is approved, the case goes to the National Visa Center (NVC) and you interview at the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou. In mainland China, only Guangzhou handles immigrant visas.
2. Every route in one table
| Route | Who can apply | Main forms | Mainland China-born date (October 2026, Chart A) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spouse of a U.S. citizen | A legal marriage | I-130 + I-130A | No wait |
| Parent of a U.S. citizen | The child is a U.S. citizen age 21+ | I-130 | No wait |
| Unmarried child under 21 of a U.S. citizen | — | I-130 | No wait |
| F1: unmarried child 21+ of a citizen | — | I-130 | 2020-01-22 |
| F2A: spouse/minor child of a green card holder | — | I-130 | 2026-09-22 |
| F2B: unmarried child 21+ of a green card holder | — | I-130 | 2019-08-22 |
| F3: married child of a citizen | — | I-130 | 2014-10-22 |
| F4: sibling of a citizen (citizen must be 21+) | — | I-130 | 2011-10-22 |
| EB-1 extraordinary ability / outstanding professors and researchers / multinational managers | Some can self-petition | I-140 | 2023-07-01 |
| EB-2 advanced degree or exceptional ability (including NIW) | NIW can self-petition | PERM + I-140 / NIW | 2021-10-01 |
| EB-3 professionals / skilled workers | Employer required | PERM + I-140 | 2022-01-08 |
| EB-3 other workers | Employer required | PERM + I-140 | 2019-10-01 |
| EB-5 investment (unreserved) | Investor | I-526/I-526E | 2016-12-01 |
| EB-5 investment (rural/high unemployment/infrastructure set-asides) | Investor | I-526E | Current (C) |
⚠️ Dates are from the State Department's October 2026 Visa Bulletin (Chart A, Final Action Dates) and change monthly. A date means: people whose priority date is earlier than that date can be approved this month. How to read it: Reading the visa bulletin.
3. Family immigration
1. Marriage (spouses)
- Spouses of U.S. citizens: no wait. In the U.S. you can file the I-130 + I-485 together; see Marriage green card (adjustment of status); in China, use consular processing. If married less than 2 years at approval, you get a 2-year conditional green card and later file the I-751 to remove conditions.
- Spouses of green card holders (F2A): a wait, but in October 2026 mainland China F2A is at 2026-09-22 and the dates for filing chart is "current," so the wait is relatively short.
- For fiancé(e)s (K-1) see K-1 visa.
2. Parents
Only U.S. citizens age 21 or older can petition for parents; green card holders can't. Parents are immediate relatives with no wait. See Bringing your parents.
3. Children and siblings
- Unmarried children under 21 of citizens have no wait; at 21 or older, or once married, they move to F1/F3 with waits measured in years.
- Siblings (F4) are one of the slowest categories: in October 2026 mainland China F4 is processing petitions filed before October 2011.
Family-based fees (USCIS G-1055, 10/07/26 edition) ⚠️
| Item | Paper | Online |
|---|---|---|
| I-130 | $675 | $625 |
| I-485 (age 14+) | $1,440 | $1,390 |
| Immigrant visa application fee (family, paid to the State Department) | $325 per person | — |
| Affidavit of support review fee (at NVC) | $120 | — |
| USCIS Immigrant Fee (paid before entering, consular processing) | $235 per person | — |
All family cases need a sponsor's I-864 affidavit of support. ⚠️ Since 2026-10-01 USCIS accepts only the new 08/24/26 edition of the I-864, which includes authorization to check credit; the 2026 income standard (48 states, 125% of the poverty line): $27,050 for a household of 2, $34,150 for 3, $41,250 for 4.
4. Employment-based immigration
| Category | Who it fits | PERM needed? | Employer needed? |
|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1A extraordinary ability | Sustained national or international acclaim in your field | No | Can self-petition |
| EB-1B outstanding professor/researcher | Academia, needs a permanent position offer | No | Yes |
| EB-1C multinational executive | Multinational manager/executive | No | Yes |
| EB-2 NIW | Advanced degree or exceptional ability, work in the national interest | Waived | Can self-petition |
| EB-2 PERM | Master's or higher, or bachelor's + 5 years | Yes | Yes |
| EB-3 | Professionals with bachelor's degrees, skilled workers, other workers | Yes | Yes |
Basic process: PERM labor certification (if needed) → I-140 → when the date is current, file the I-485 or go through consular processing.
Fees (G-1055) ⚠️: I-140 $715 paper / $665 online, plus the Asylum Program Fee: $600 for regular employers, $300 for small employers or self-petitioners, $0 for nonprofits. I-140 premium processing $2,965.
What people born in mainland China should know:
- EB-1 is "current" for most other countries, but mainland China's October 2026 Chart A date is 2023-07-01, so EB-1 also has a wait.
- With the new fiscal year in October 2026, mainland China EB-3 Chart B (dates for filing) jumped to 2024-04-01, ahead of EB-2's 2023-01-01, so "EB-3 is faster than EB-2," and many are discussing downgrading from EB-2 to EB-3. ⚠️ This changes quickly; decide based on the current month's bulletin.
- More: Employment-based green cards.
5. Investment (EB-5) and the Gold Card
EB-5
- Investment amounts (filed on or after 2022-03-15): $1,050,000; $800,000 in a targeted employment area (TEA, rural or high-unemployment) or an infrastructure project. You must create at least 10 full-time jobs for U.S. workers. ⚠️ USCIS says these amounts adjust for inflation every 5 years, with the first adjustment applying to petitions filed on or after 2027-01-01; follow the amounts it publishes. (Note: the USCIS EB-5 page still shows old "$1.8 million / $900,000" language, from a 2019 rule that a court vacated; don't be misled.)
- Fees: currently I-526/I-526E $3,675 and I-829 $3,750. ⚠️ A final EB-5 fee rule published in the Federal Register on 2026-09-30 takes effect 2026-11-30, with large increases; see EB-5 investment.
- Mainland China dates: unreserved 2016-12-01 (Chart A); the rural, high-unemployment and infrastructure set-asides are current, which has been the main direction for Chinese investors in recent years.
- Risks: project failure, source-of-funds review, regional center compliance. The regional center program is authorized through 2027-09-30. See EB-5 investment.
The "Trump Gold Card" ⚠️
- Created by Executive Order 14351 of 2025-09-19. Individuals pay a $15,000 processing fee (per person) and, after background checks, donate $1 million; a company sponsoring an employee donates $2 million per employee. For both, accompanying spouses and unmarried children under 21 each pay another $15,000 processing fee and donate another $1 million (trumpcard.gov FAQ). File Form I-140G after registering at trumpcard.gov.
- The Gold Card uses EB-1/EB-2 categories, and the form explicitly refers to the visa bulletin, so people born in mainland China still wait for the China EB-1/EB-2 dates (the government hasn't said there are separate numbers; follow later official guidance).
- The program is still in litigation in 2026; according to the Commerce Secretary's April 2026 congressional testimony, only 1 person had been approved at that point. Be cautious and consult a lawyer.
6. Other routes (brief)
| Route | Notes |
|---|---|
| Asylum / refugees | Can apply for a green card one year after being granted asylum or refugee status. Several new asylum-related fees since 2025, and review is much stricter; you need a lawyer |
| VAWA, U visa, T visa | Special routes for victims of domestic violence, crimes and human trafficking |
| EB-4 special immigrants | Religious workers and others. In October 2026 the religious worker category was extended to 2026-12-11 |
| U.S. military members and families | Special policies |
| DV diversity visa lottery | People born in mainland China can't enter based on their own birthplace; see the next section |
7. What people born in mainland China should know
1. No DV lottery (the "green card lottery")
- The official DV-2026 instructions say people born in the People's Republic of China (including mainland China and Hong Kong) are not eligible, because more than 50,000 immigrants came from there in the past five years. People born in Macau and Taiwan are eligible.
- Two exceptions: ① if your spouse was born in an eligible country, you can claim your spouse's country, but you must be issued visas and enter together; ② if neither of your parents was born in your country of birth or was a resident there when you were born, you can claim one parent's country of birth.
- ⚠️ DV changed a lot in 2025–2026: the State Department announced on 2025-11-05 that DV-2027 registration was postponed with dates to be announced (as of 2026-10-14 the official instructions page still only shows DV-2026); the State Department paused DV issuance in December 2025, and the pause stopped applying from 2026-08-28 because of a court ruling. Anyone offering to "enter you in the DV lottery" or "guarantee a win" is running a scam; official registration is free.
2. Generally longer waits
Mainland China is oversubscribed, so F4, EB-1, EB-2, EB-3 and unreserved EB-5 are slower than "all other countries." Always plan using the "CHINA-mainland born" column.
3. Interviews only in Guangzhou
All mainland China immigrant visas are processed at the Consulate General in Guangzhou. ⚠️ The State Department's scheduling tool, updated 2026-10-07, shows Guangzhou scheduling "documentarily qualified" cases from April 2026 for immediate relatives, March 2025 for family preferences and August 2023 for employment categories. Since 2025-11-01 immigrant visa interviews follow the consular district of residence.
4. Chinese documents
Birth, marriage and no-criminal-record documents all need notarial certificates with English translations; see Preparing Chinese documents.
5. Communist Party and Youth League membership
Every green card application asks whether you have been a member of the Communist Party or another totalitarian party (INA 212(a)(3)(D)); the law has exceptions for involuntary membership, membership before age 16, membership needed for the necessities of life and others. Answer truthfully on forms and in interviews, and talk to a lawyer first if this applies to you.
8. 2025–2026 changes affecting every route
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 2025-11-01 | Immigrant visa interviews follow the consular district of residence |
| 2025-11-05 | DV-2027 registration postponed |
| 2025-12 to 2026-08-28 | DV visa issuance paused, then lifted by a court ruling |
| 2026-05-21 | USCIS memo PM-602-0199: adjustment of status is "discretionary and a matter of grace"; failing to leave on time after a nonimmigrant entry or conduct inconsistent with your purpose of entry are negative factors that need "unusual or outstanding equities" to overcome; dual-intent statuses (such as H-1B) filing an I-485 are not inconsistent |
| 2026-09-18 | New public charge rule in effect: applies to I-485s filed on or after this date; means-tested benefits applied for or received after this date may be considered. Only the 09/18/26 edition of the I-485 is accepted |
| 2026-10-01 | Only the new I-864 edition (08/24/26) is accepted |
| 2026-10-07 | New G-1055 fee schedule (10/07/26 edition) |
9. Interviews
Almost every route ends with an interview: at the local USCIS office in the U.S., or in Guangzhou for consular cases. Common topics:
- Marriage: how you met, the wedding, daily life together (see Marriage green card).
- Parents: what the child does in the U.S., how often you see each other, where you'll live and who covers living and medical costs (see Bringing your parents).
- Employment: whether your job, employer, education and experience match the I-140.
- Common to all: the yes/no questions on the I-485 / DS-260 (crimes, immigration violations, party and organization membership and so on), and your past visas and travel records.
10. What applicants report (since 2025)
Summaries of individual experiences from public forums, not guarantees.
- "Pick the right road before worrying about speed": many on 1point3acres note that people born in mainland China seeking employment green cards often "walk on several legs" (for example I-140s in both EB-2 and EB-3, or EB-1A + NIW) and use whichever lets them file the I-485 first.
- The big October 2026 Chart B jump: EB-3 Chart B moved forward more than 2 years at once, and many rushed to file I-485s in October while worrying that Chart B might close or retrogress in later months. The takeaway: when the window opens, file quickly, with documents ready in advance.
- More caution with adjustment of status: after the May 2026 memo, forums widely debated whether "changing status after entering on a B2" is still viable. Some parent and marriage cases were still approved on schedule after the memo, but lawyers generally advise a genuine purpose at entry and a lawyer's assessment if there was an overstay or a gap in status.
- Consular cases hit by policy shocks: in late August 2026 Guangzhou canceled and rescheduled many immigrant visa interviews; people who had already had medical exams should watch the exam's validity.
11. FAQ
1. I study/work in the U.S. What's the most common green card route? Employment-based (EB-1/EB-2/EB-3, including NIW) and marriage are most common. Dual-intent statuses like H-1B can file an I-485 without conflict; F-1 and B-2 holders need to be careful about intent at entry.
2. Can a green card holder petition for parents? No. You must first become a U.S. citizen and be 21 or older.
3. Do people born in mainland China have no DV chance at all? Not based on your own birthplace; you may claim your spouse's country, or a parent's country of birth in special circumstances.
4. Is the visa bulletin date "how many more years I'll wait"? No. It means "how far this month's processing has reached." Your actual wait depends on how far it moves each month, and it can stall or even go backward.
5. Is EB-5 still worth it? The set-asides (rural, high unemployment, infrastructure) are currently current for mainland China, but investment risk and source-of-funds review are central, so you need an experienced lawyer and a reliable project.
6. Is the Gold Card "pay and get a green card"? No. It still requires background checks and an officer's approval, people born in mainland China still wait for EB-1/EB-2 dates, and the program itself is in litigation.
7. Consular processing or adjustment of status: which is better? It depends on where you are, whether you've maintained lawful status and whether you have any overstay. Since 2026 adjustment of status involves stricter discretionary review, especially for B visa entrants.
8. Can one person pursue several routes at once? Yes. For example, both a family and an employment petition, or several I-140s; use whichever comes first.
12. Official links
- Green card eligibility categories: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-eligibility-categories
- Visa Bulletin for October 2026: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2027/visa-bulletin-for-october-2026.html
- USCIS: which chart to use this month: https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/visa-availability-priority-dates/adjustment-of-status-filing-charts-from-the-visa-bulletin
- Fee schedule G-1055: https://www.uscis.gov/g-1055
- State Department visa fees: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/fees/fees-visa-services.html
- Bringing parents: https://www.uscis.gov/family/family-of-us-citizens/bringing-parents-to-live-in-the-united-states-as-permanent-residents
- I-864 / poverty guidelines: https://www.uscis.gov/i-864 ; https://www.uscis.gov/i-864p
- EB-5 investment amounts: http://uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/permanent-workers/employment-based-immigration-fifth-preference-eb-5/about-the-eb-5-visa-classification
- Gold Card I-140G: https://www.uscis.gov/i-140g
- DV-2026 instructions (including ineligible countries): https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Diversity-Visa/DV-Instructions-Translations/DV-2026-Instructions-Translations/DV%202026%20Plain%20Language%20Instructions%20and%20FAQs.pdf
- DV-2027 registration postponed: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/changes-to-2027-dv-program-entry-period.html
- DV issuance pause and lifting: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/diversity-visa-issuance-updated-guidance.html
- Immigrant visa interview scheduling tool (Guangzhou): https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/iv-wait-times.html
- Adjustment of status and discretion memo: https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/memos/PM-602-0199-AdjustmentOfStatusAndDiscretion-20260521.pdf
- Public charge guidance: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-issues-guidance-on-making-public-charge-inadmissibility-determination
Disclaimer: This guide is general information only and not legal advice. Immigration rules, fees and visa bulletin dates change often; follow the latest from USCIS and the State Department, and talk to a licensed immigration attorney about complicated cases. The "what applicants report" section reflects individual experiences on public forums and is not a guarantee.