Exploring the Per-Country Limit [Immigration]: Key Insights and Implications
Definition & Meaning
The term per-country limit in immigration refers to the maximum number of family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas that can be issued to citizens of any one country during a fiscal year. This limit ensures that no more than seven percent of the total visas can go to individuals from a single independent country, and no more than two percent can go to individuals from any dependency of that country. The specific limits are recalculated each fiscal year based on the total number of visas available.
Legal Use & context
Per-country limits are primarily used in immigration law, particularly in the context of family and employment-based visa applications. These limits help manage the distribution of visas among different countries, preventing any single country from dominating visa issuance. Individuals seeking to immigrate to the United States can utilize legal forms and templates available through services like US Legal Forms to navigate the application process effectively.
Real-world examples
Here are a couple of examples of abatement:
For instance, if a fiscal year allows for 100,000 family-sponsored visas, only 7,000 of those can be issued to applicants from any one country. If a country has a high demand for visas, it may not reach this limit due to the preference system in place.
(hypothetical example) If a country has a population of one million people, and there are 10,000 applicants for visas, the per-country limit would restrict the number of visas issued to that country to 7,000, regardless of the number of applicants.