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119-s-1328119th Congress

Nuclear Family Priority Act

Sponsored By: Senator Banks, Jim [R-IN]

Introduced

Summary

Excludes parents from the immediate-relative family category and tightens family visa allocations. This bill would narrow immediate relatives to spouses and children and overhaul how family-sponsored visas are counted and distributed.

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  • Parents and adult-child pairs: Would remove parents from the immediate-relative category and bar new petitions based on eliminated family categories filed after the bill's introduction. It would create a new nonimmigrant parental status for parents of U.S. citizens age 21 or older with a 5-year initial stay, no work authorization, no eligibility for federal, state, or local public benefits, and a requirement that the U.S. citizen child provide health insurance at no cost to the parent.
  • Spouses and children of lawful permanent residents: Would make these beneficiaries subject to a worldwide family cap recalculated around 88,000 and change rules so some petitioners can be treated as under 21 for adjudication and admission.
  • Per-country allocation and high-demand countries: Would split family visas so 75% are issued without regard to per-country limits and 25% are subject to country ceilings set at 77% of prior maximums, shifting how visas flow from high-demand countries.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

Late family petitions would be invalid

If enacted, the bill's changes would take effect on the first day of the second fiscal year after enactment. Any INA section 204 petition filed after this bill's introduction in the Senate that seeks a family category the bill later eliminates would be treated as invalid. Any immigrant visa application based on such an invalid petition would also be invalid.

Fewer family visas and rule changes

If enacted, the bill would set the yearly family-sponsored visa level at 88,000 minus a computed number. It would remove parents from the list of "immediate relatives," leaving only spouses and children. Some people could be treated as under 21 for certain petition and admission rules. The bill would also change certain legal cross-references and remove a specific waiver exclusion, which could let some applicants seek a waiver who could not before.

New five-year visa for parents

If enacted, the bill would create a new nonimmigrant status for parents of U.S. citizens age 21 or older. The initial stay would be five years and DHS could extend it while the U.S. citizen child lives in the United States. The parent would not be allowed to work and could not get federal, state, or local public benefits. The U.S. citizen child would be responsible for the parent's support and must provide health insurance at no cost to the parent.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Banks, Jim [R-IN]

IN • R

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Moreno, Bernie [R-OH]

    OH • R

    Sponsored 7/16/2026

  • Sen. Lummis, Cynthia M. [R-WY]

    WY • R

    Sponsored 7/16/2026

  • Sen. Tuberville, Tommy [R-AL]

    AL • R

    Sponsored 8/6/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

View on Congress.gov
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