Los Angeles, California: The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 established the modern immigration system, including the establishment of the "preference system," which admits new immigrants based on family or employer sponsorship.

Family-based immigration accounts for approximately 65% of annual lawful immigration, accounting for nearly 85% of new immigrant arrivals to the United States over the last decade. In recent years, more than 80% of Mexican green card recipients were sponsored by family members in the United States, while more than 50% of Asian recipients were sponsored by family members.

Certain foreign-born relatives, referred to as "immediate relatives," such as spouses, unmarried children, and parents, can be sponsored by US citizens to immigrate to the US immediately, with no annual or numerical limits. Other relatives of US citizens and lawful permanent residents, on the other hand, are not considered "immediate relatives" and must be sponsored through a numerically limited Family Preference category.

Over the last decade, approximately 220,000 people have been reunited with family members in the United States through family preference categories. While the annual limit for family preference admissions is calculated each year, it has remained at the statutory minimum of 226,000 for the past two decades.

In order of priority, there are five preference categories:

First preference (F1) - unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (21 and older).
Second preference (F2a) - lawful permanent residents' spouses and children (unmarried and under 21 years of age).
Second preference (F2b) - unmarried sons and daughters of lawful permanent residents (21 years and older).
Third preference (F3) - married children of US citizens
Fourth preference (F4) - U.S. citizens' brothers and sisters (if the U.S. citizen is 21 or older)

Each of these categories is subject to numerical limits, which include overall limits on the number of family preference immigrants admitted each year, as well as limits on how that annual total is divided among the preference categories and per-country limits on the number of individuals admitted from a single country each year. Each of these restrictions adds to the length of time an individual may have to wait before receiving their green card.



Requests to sponsor an immigrant family member are prioritized by category and date received by the government (the "priority date"); if U.S. citizens or residents apply to sponsor more immigrants than are allowed under the numerical limits, a backlog forms, and individuals must wait until a green card is available to them under the law.

To find out if you are eligible for family immigration benefits, contact the immigration law office of Hari Heerekar for a free consultation. You can call Heerekar Law Firm at +1 (213) 413 0200 or visit their office at 1605 W Olympic Blvd, Suite 405, 90015, Los Angeles, CA.

About Heerekar Law Firm:
Heerekar Law Firm is a National Law Firm that specializes in the complex and ever-changing immigration laws, assisting immigrants in obtaining legal status in the United States. It has resolved over 800 cases for clients in California, Texas, Nevada, Louisiana, and a number of other states. Mr. Hari Heerekar was a prominent Indian judge who now provides legal services to immigrants seeking legal status in the United States.

Media Contact:
Heerekar Law Firm
Los Angeles, CA 1605 W Olympic Blvd, Suite 405, 90015
Phone: +1 (213) 413 0200
Email: [email protected]
Visit: https://heerekarlaw.com/