The USCIS: An Inside Look at Green Card Priority Dates
The Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) of the United States is responsible for granting the highly sought-after Green Card to immigrants. This document allows foreigners to obtain permanent residence in the U.S., providing them with the ability to work and live in the country and avail themselves of the benefits offered by the federal government.
One crucial aspect of the final procedures in immigration processes is the priority date. This date is determined by USCIS when individuals apply for permanent residency in North America.
The priority date signifies the position that individuals hold on the USCIS list for attending to immigration procedures. To ascertain their place on the list, individuals are encouraged to check the notifications issued by the government entity through Form I-130 or I-140.
According to the USCIS, most immigrant visa requests are filed by relatives of the individual seeking residency in the U.S. In other instances, companies seek immigrant visas to recruit foreign specialists. This necessitates submitting an employment certificate to the Department of Labor and awaiting approval.
The priority dates are officially established when immigrant families submit visa requests for their loved ones to USCIS. Alternatively, the priority date is set after the Department of Labor obtains labor certification for the applicant.
USCIS has confirmed that the U.S. has a specific number of Green Cards to be issued each year, and the priority date is used to manage the processing of these green cards.
Additionally, individuals can find out the expected duration of these USCIS operations, ensuring that the foreign population is aware of the progress of their immigration status.
As the USCIS continues to work on immigration processes, understanding the intricacies of priority dates and visa applications is essential for individuals seeking permanent residency in the U.S.