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NEW US VISAS order explained by lawyer. Who will receive their documents first?


This news got a lot of attention so I decided to make an explanatory video once more.

Immigrant Visas will now be scheduled at US Embassies using a 4-tier sorting approach.

Tier One:  Immediate relative intercountry adoption visas, age-out cases (cases where the applicant will soon no longer qualify due to their age), certain Special Immigrant Visas (SQ and SI for Afghan and Iraqi nationals working with the U.S. government), and emergency cases as determined on a case-by-case basis.

Tier Two:  Immediate relative visas (parents, spouses, and kids under 21 of US citizens); K-1 fiancé(e) visas; and returning resident visas.

Tier Three: Family preference immigrant visas (children over 21 of US citizens and green card holders, spouses of GC holders, married children of US Citizens, siblings of US citizens); and SE Special Immigrant Visas for certain employees of the U.S. government abroad.

Tier Four: All other immigrant visas, including employment preference and diversity lottery  visas

Department of State also will be prioritizing scheduling emergency cases on a case-by-case basis and requests to expedite, which may be emailed to NVCExpedite@state.gov.  

In addition. DOS will prioritize as EMERGENCIES the Immigrant visa cases of certain healthcare professionals (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, researchers) who will work in US at a facility engaged in pandemic response to help US battle with Covid.

Shepelsky Law Group
Immigration Lawyers
Tel: (718) 769-6352

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