Most family based preference categories have waiting lists that are several years long.
Immediate relatives are not subject to these quota restrictions. Immediate relative petitions do not confer benefits on anyone other than the single named beneficiary of the petition. For example, if a United States citizen wanted to bring his or her parents to the United States, the U.S. citizen petitioner would have to file separate petitions for each parent. This most commonly arises when a U.S. citizen petitions for a parent, and the parent still has minor, unmarried children. While the parent is covered by the petition, and eligible to immigrate immediately, the minor children are not.