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It is often stressful to wait for news about a visa application only to hear nothing or receive a request for evidence letter. On top of that, you might also wonder about Aurora visa quotas.
Indeed, there are thresholds for certain categories of visa and for each country of origin. Other visa preferences do not have a quota. One purpose for the quotas is that the United States does not want an inordinate number of foreign nationals from any one country or in any one preference category. En Español.

Is There a Place to Get Updated on Visa Quotas in Aurora?

Updates on quotas are actually posted on the internet. The United States Department of State provides a monthly Visa Bulletin to post these updates. However, there are some categories that have no posted quota.

Visa Preferences Without a Quota

Some categories of visa have not been given a limit number. However, it is important to note that visas of this type are not provided to everyone. There is still a rigorous application process.
Some, but not all, of the unlimited visa preference groups are as follows:

  • Amnesty
  • Asylum
  • Intra-company transfer
  • Investors
  • Student visas
  • Religious worker visas

Visa Quota Categories

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) was enacted in 1952. Many of the regulations for granting visas are codified by the Act. For example, under INA §206(b), preference classes have been allotted for employment-based visas.

The number of the visa preference partially determines the number of visas that the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) may issue.

Additionally, immigrants from certain countries may represent an exorbitant number of green card holders. Thus, the USCIS and the Department of State work together to act in a fair and equitable manner.

Employment-based Visa Quotas in Aurora

The current amount for all types of employment-based visas is at least 140,000 for all applicants worldwide. However, there are percentage thresholds for applicants from certain countries.
First preference employment-based visas are available to most countries. This type of visa, called an EB-1, is awarded to aliens of extraordinary ability.

Applicants for an EB-1 visa must show that they either won a major internationally-recognized award, or that they meet three of ten named criteria. The current quota for this category is 28.6 percent of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers left over from the fourth and fifth preferences.

Different diversity limits among countries apply to the various preference numbers. Moreover, each preference has its own threshold beyond limits for certain countries of origin.

Family-based Visa Quotas in Aurora

Under INA §201, there is an annual minimum for family-sponsored preference visas. The current amount is 226,000 people.

As with employment-based visas, family-based visas have different preference numbers. Under INA §203(a), the allotments are as follows:

  • First preference – 23,400, plus any unused numbers from the fourth and fifth preferences
  • Second preference – 114,200 plus some additional unused numbers
  • Third preference – 23,400 plus unused numbers from the first and second classifications
  • Fourth preference – 65,000 plus unused numbers from the other three categories

Speak with an Aurora Visa Attorney

Aurora visa quotas may be updated by the Department of State on a regular basis. Speaking with an attorney in Aurora may alleviate some of your worries about which preference applies to you or your loved one.

It could be helpful to have a legal professional guiding you through the visa application process. A lawyer in Aurora could use his or her experiences and techniques to help write persuasive petitions.

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