THE HOLT LAW GROUP

Immigrant visas are divided to 2 categories: family based petitions & employment based petitions. Numerical limitations are set by the Immigration and Nationality Act to all categories.

When numbers exceed allowable usages, a backlog is created. Result of the backlog is the individual’s priority date, the date of initial application filing, becomes important.

The employment categories include:

1. Priority workers (executives &managers; outstanding researchers, extraordinary ability)
2. Immigrants with Advanced Degrees (Masters degree, or request national interest waiver)
3. Professional Skilled and Unskilled Workers (all other labor certification applications)
4. Special Immigrants (religious workers, battered spouses, etc.) and
5. Employment Creation Immigrants (investors).

The family categories include:

1. First preference (unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens)
2. Second preference (spouses, sons and daughters of permanent residents)
3. Third preference (married sons and daughters of a U.S. citizen)
4. Fourth preference (brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens)

No numerical limitations apply for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens (parents, spouse, or unmarried children under 21).

Click on a category link above for a display of its descriptions & requirements.