The Family 2A Category Rocks!

Many of our clients have been crying tears of joy because of the September Visa Bulletin. The best news is the advance in the family-based 2A category. Just one year ago, the wait exceeded five years.  Now, the wait is down to just 8 months!

This is very important to persons who were granted green cards under the EB-3
category before the retrogression, and who have been waiting for years for their
spouses/children to “follow to join” them.

Last week, I spoke to a nurse who got her green card in 2007 based on her 2006
EB-3 priority date.  She has been separated from her children for years.  They
are waiting for her EB-3 priority date (2006) to be current, an event which is
probably at least two years away.  I let her know that we could obtain immigrant
visas for her children in less than one year using the family-based 2A category
if we submitted I-130 visa petitions for them.  She is thrilled.

Below is the letter that we have sent to some of our EB-3 clients advising
them of the significant forward movement of the 2A priority dates and how it
affects their families:

“Our records indicate that you were granted permanent residence in _______________. Since that time, the EB3 category has become increasingly backlogged.  As a result, many dependent spouses and children who were not processed at the same time as the principal were left behind and have still not received their green cards.  Unfortunately, because of the backlogs, we cannot predict how long it will take for a visa number to become available to your family member even though they have the same priority date as yours. 
 
“We are writing to remind you that as a permanent resident you may file an immigrant visa petition (Form I-130) for your spouse or children under 21 years of age at any time. There are waiting times/backlogs associated with such petitions as well.  However, they may be much shorter than the EB3 category which is backlogged to December 15, 2004.
 
“Spouses of permanent residents, and children under 21 years of age, are in the second family category called F2A.  As of September 2010, people in the F2A category with priority dates of January 1, 2010 or earlier are now eligible for permanent residence.  So you can see that the F2A category is backlogged until 2010, which is better than 2004 for EB3. 
 
“The priority dates for family and employment categories are listed on the State Department’s monthly Visa Bulletin and can be accessed at 

http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5113.html  

“Depending on how quickly the EB3 category moves forward, it may be faster to sponsor your family member in the F2A category. 
 
“Please keep in mind that you will be eligible for naturalization 5 years from the date when you got your green card.  You may apply for naturalization 90 days before your 5th year of permanent residence.  Spouses of U.S. citizens, and children under 21, are called “immediate relatives” and are not subject to the backlogs.  Thus your eligible family members would be immediately eligible for a green card once you become a citizen and file an I-130 petition for them, wherever they are. 
 
“If you naturalize after filing an I-130 petition on behalf of your family member(s),
you can ask for the petition to be “upgraded” from the F2A category to immediate relative status.  This will take your family member(s) out of the backlogs and speed up the process. 
 
“I hope this information is helpful for you and your family, and allows you to be proactive in keeping abreast of your priority date/s. Feel free to contact our office if you have any questions or require assistance.”  

Sincerely yours,

Carl Shusterman

Comments

[Loren Young]

Mr. Shusterman,

Thanks for your immigration wonderful articles and witty insights.

In regards to this statement:

“Please keep in mind that you will be eligible for naturalization 5 years from the date when you got your green card. You may apply for naturalization 90 days before your 5th year of permanent residence.

Do you mean, 90 days before your 5th completed year of permanent residence or 90 days before you begin your 5th year of permanent residence? There is a difference of 12 months.

Thank you

[lisa mulzac]

Let's hope and pray that the 2b category rocks too.

[Ama]

Is this really true? I am a green card holder and i filled i-130 for my husband and it was approved on Sept. 13, 2010 (after 5 months)

What is my next step? Is is posible for him to get a visa before the end of this year because i'm in this category F2A?

Please update me with any info that you have. Thank you

[Ama]

what is EB3?

[Faisal Ghulam]

My Wife is Green Card Holder and she has filed I-130
for me in October 2009 and got approval in Sep10 2010
and also payed NVC fees which is 88 Dollar right now.

How long i have to wait for my Visa Number and when my case will be forward to USA Embassy of Pakistan.

I am from Pakistan.

ghulam_faisal@hotmail.com

[adviser]

Faisal,

Pakistani citizens are excluded from this new faster approval process.

[flip]

hi!do u think 2a will still be as fast as today till nextyear?coz marriage with my LPR fiance will prolly be a year from now.thanx!

[ela]

Am a spouse of a greencard holder,my success story of the fast moving 2A turn into a nightmare when ifound out that i cannot do adjustment of status here in united state because my status was expired. I wish something can be done to redem my case. Is there anything i can do regarding my case.

[T]

@Ela

Did you enter the country after December 2000 and overstay your visa?

[Sarah]

hi,my employer has filed an EB3 petition for me. we all know there is a big backlog. my husband is a green card holder and currently working in the US. he has plans of filing a petition for me and my daughter. is that possible considering i already have a EB3 petition filed? tnx for the help...

[Manisha]

hi.....my process for immigrarion is completed at 8/02/2011 .My caregaory is F2A.When will i get my interview call ?

[HARISH.A]

Hi sir, my sister now she facing a problem sir, She is now doing II puc Science. When she was admitted to school their parents wrongly mentioned her caste details as so far now also its coming as only. but now for higher studies she required reservation benefit. but in her sslc Transfer certificate the problem also still it has come. so can u tell me how it can we change from that wrong caste to right.

[carpinteyrotrn]

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