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What Does this Immigration Symbol Mean?

Have you ever wondered what the immigration abbreviations meant on your immigration visa?  The following is meant to provide an answer to at least some of the abbreviations.  If you are unsure what your abbreviations mean, contact a NYC immigration lawyer for assistance.

IMMIGRANTS Immediate Relatives  
SymbolClassSection of Law
IR1Spouse of U.S. Citizen201(b) 
IR2Child of U.S. Citizen201(b) 
IR3Orphan Adopted Abroad by U.S. Citizen201(b) 
IR4Orphan to be Adopted In the U.S. by U.S. Citizen201(b) 
IR5Parent of U.S. Citizen at Least 21 Years of Age201(b) 
CR1Spouse of U.S. Citizen (Conditional Status)201(b) & 216(a)(1) 
CR2Child of U.S. Citizen (Conditional Status)201(b) & 216 
IW2Child of IW1201(b) 
IB1Self-petition Spouse of U.S. Citizen204(a)(1)(A)(iii) 
IB2Self-petition child of U.S. Citizen204(a)(1)(A)(iv) 
IB3Child of IB1204(a)(1)(A)(iii) 
VI5Parent of U.S. Citizen Who Acquired Permanent Resident Status Under the Virgin Islands Nommigrant Alien Adjustment Act (Pub. L. 97-271).201(b) & §2 of the Virgin Islands Nonimmigrant Alien Adjustment Act
Vietnam Immigrants
AM1Vietnam Amerasian Principal584(b)(1)(A),
AM2Spouse or Child of AM1584(b)(1)(B), and
AM3Natural Mother of Unmarried AM1 (Spouse or Child of Such Mother) or Person Who has Acted in Effect as the Mother, Father, or Next-of-Kin of Unmarried AM1 (and Spouse or Child of Such Person)584(b)(1)(C) of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1988 (As contained in §101(e) of P.L. 100-202) as amended)
Special Immigrants
SB1Returning Resident101(a)(27)(A) 
SC1Person Who Lost U.S. Citizenship by Marriage101(a)(27)(B) &324(a) 
SC2Person Who Lost U.S. Citizenship by Serving in Foreign Armed Forces101(a)(27)(B) & 327 
FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
Family 1st Preference
F11Unmarried Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen203(a)(1) 
F12Child of F11203(d) 
B11Self-petition Unmarried Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen204(a)(1)(A)(iv) &203(a)(1) 
B12Child of B11203(d) 
Family 2nd Preference (Subject To Country Limitations)
F21Spouse of Alien Resident203(a)(2)(A) 
F22Child of Alien Resident203(a)(2)(A) 
F23Child of F21 or F22203(d) 
F24Unmarried Son or Daughter of Alien Resident203(a)(2)(B) 
F25Child of F24203(d) 
C21Spouse of Alien Resident (Conditional)203(a)(2)(A) & 216 
C22Child of Alien Resident (Conditional)203(a)(2)(A) & 216 
C23Child of C21 or C22 (Conditional)203(d) & 216 
C24Unmarried Son or Daughter of Alien Resident (Conditional)203(a)(2)(B) & 216 
C25Child of F24 (Conditional)203(d) & 216 
B21Self-petition Spouse of Lawful Permanent Resident204(a)(1)(B)(ii) 
B22Self-petition Child of Lawful Permanent Resident204(a)(1)(B)(iii) 
B23Child of B21 or B22204(a)(1)(B)(ii) 
B24Self-petition Unmarried Son or Daughter of Lawful Permanent Resident204(a)(1)(B)(iii) 
B25Child of B24203(d) 
Family 2nd Preference 
(Exempt From Country Limitations)  
SymbolClassSection of Law
FX1Spouse of Alien Resident202(a)(4)(A) & 203(a)(2)(A) 
FX2Child of Alien Resident202(a)(4)(A) & 203(a)(2)(A) 
FX3Child of FX1 and FX2202(a)(4)(A) & 203(d)
CX1Spouse of Alien Resident (Conditional)202(a)(4)(A) , 203(a)(2)(A) & 216 
CX2Child of Alien Resident (Conditional)202(a)(4)(A) , 203(a)(2)(A) & 216 
CX3Child of CX1 & CX2 (Conditional)202(a)(4)(A) & 203(d)& 216 
BX1Self-petition Spouse of Lawful Permanent Resident204(a)(1)(B)(ii) 
BX2Self-petition Child of Lawful Permanent Resident204(a)(1)(B)(iii) 
BX3Child of BX1 or BX2203(d) 
Family 3rd Preference  
SymbolClassSection of Law
F31Married Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen203(a)(3) 
F32Spouse of F31203(d) 
F33Child of F31203(d) 
C31Married Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen (Conditional)203(a)(3) & 216 
C32Spouse of C31 (Conditional)203(d) & 216 
C33Child of C31 (Conditional)203(d) & 216 
B31Self-petition Married Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen204(a)(1)(A)(iv) &203(a)(3) 
B32Spouse of B31203(d) 
B33Child of B31203(d) 
Family 4th Preference  
SymbolClassSection of Law
F41Brother or Sister of U.S. Citizen203(a)(4) 
F42Spouse of F41203(d) 
F43Child of F41203(d) 
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES 
Employment 1st Preference (Priority Workers)  
SymbolClassSection of Law
E11Alien with Extraordinary Ability203(b)(1)(A) 
E12Outstanding Professor or Researcher203(b)(1)(B) 
E13Multinational Executive or Manager203(b)(1)(C) 
E14Spouse of E11, E12, or E13203(d) 
E15Child of E11, E12, or E13203(d) 
Employment 2nd Preference (Professionals Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability)  
SymbolClassSection of Law
E21Professional Holding Advanced Degree or of Exceptional Ability203(b)(2) 
E22Spouse of E21203(d) 
E23Child of E21203(d) 
Employment 3rd Preference (Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers  
SymbolClassSection of Law
E31Skilled Worker203(b)(3)(A)(i) 
E32Professional Holding Baccalaureate Degree203(b)(3)(A)(ii) 
E34Spouse of E31 or E32203(d) 
E35Child of E31 or E32203(d) 
EW3Other Worker (Subgroup Numerical Limit)203(b)(3)(A)(iii) 
EW4Spouse of EW3203(d) 
EW5Child of EW3203(d) 
Employment 4th Preference 
(Certain Special Immigrants)  
SymbolClassSection of Law
BC1Broadcaster in the U.S. employed by the International Broadcasting Burueau of the Broadcasting Board of
Governors or a grantee of such organization		101(a)(27)(M) 
BC2Accompanying spouse of a BC1101(a)(27)(M) 
BC3Accompanying child of a BC1101(a)(27)(M) 
SD1Minister of Religion101(a)(27)(C) &203(b)(4) 
SD2Spouse of SD1101(a)(27)(C) &203(b)(4) 
SD3Child of SD1101(a)(27)(C) &203(b)(4) 
SE1Certain Employees or Former Employees of the U.S. Government Abroad101(a)(27)(D) 
SE2Spouse of SE1101(a)(27)(D) 
SE3Child of SE1101(a)(27)(D) 
SEHEmployee of the U.S. Mission in Hong Kong or Immediate Family101(a)(27)(D)Section 152 of the Immigration Act of 1990
SF1Certain Former Employees of the Panama Canal Company or Canal Zone Government101(a)(27) (E) 
SF2Spouse or Child of SF1101(a)(27) (E) 
SG1Certain Former Employees of the U.S. Government in the Panama Canal Zone101(a)(27)(F) 
SG2Spouse or Child of SG1101(a)(27)(F) 
SH1Certain Former Employees of the Panama Canal Company or Canal Zone Government on April 1,1979101(a)(27)(G) 
SH2Spouse or Child of SH1101(a)(27)(G) 
SJ1Certain Foreign Medical Graduates (Adjustments Only)101(a)(27)(H) 
SJ2Accompanying Spouse or Child of SJ1101(a)(27)(H) 
SK1Certain Retired International Organization Employees101(a)(27)(I)(iii) 
SK2Spouse of SK1101(a)(27)(I)(iv) 
SK3Certain Unmarried Son or Daughter of International Organization Employee101(a)(27)(I)(i) 
SK4Certain Surviving Spouses of Deceased International Organization Employee101(a)(27)(I)(ii) 
SL1Juvenile Court Dependent101(a)(27)(J) 
SM1Alien Recruited Outside the United States Who Has Served or is Enlisted to Serve in the U.S. Armed Forces for 12 Years (Became Eligible After the Date of Enactment)101(a)(27)(K) 
SM2Spouse of SM1101(a)(27)(K) 
SM3Child of SM1101(a)(27)(K) 
SM4Alien Recruited Outside the United States Who Has Served or is Enlisted to Serve in the U.S. Armed Forces for 12 Years (Became Eligible As of the Date of Enactment)101(a)(27)(K) 
SM5Spouse or Child of SM4101(a)(27)(K) 
SN1Certain retired NATO 6 civilians101(a)(27)(L) 
SN2Spouse of an immigrant classified SN1101(a)(27)(L) 
SN3Certain unmarried sons or daughters of NATO 6 civilian employees.101(a)(27)(L) 
SN4Certain surviving spouses of deceased NATO-6 civilian employees.101(a)(27)(L) 
SR1Certain Religious Workers101(a)(27)(C)(ii) (II)&(III)
SR2Spouse of SR1101(a)(27)(C)(ii) (II)&(III)
SR3Child of SR1101(a)(27)(C)(ii) (II)&(III)
Employment 5th Preference (Employment Creation) (Conditional Status)  
SymbolClassSection of Law
C51Employment Creation OUTSIDE Targeted Area203(b)(5)(A) 
C52Spouse of C51203(d) 
C53Child of C51203(d) 
T51Employment Creation IN Targeted Rural/High Unemployment Area203(b)(5)(B) 
T52Spouse of T51203(d) 
T53Child of T51203(d) 
R51Investor Pilot Program, OUTSIDE Targeted Area203(b)(5) & §610 of the
R52Spouse of R51Departments of Commerce, Justice, R53 Child of R51 & State, the Judiciary & Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 (P.L. 102-395)
I51Investor Pilot Program IN Targeted Area
I52Spouse of I51
I53Child of I51
OTHER NUMERICALLY LIMITED CATEGORIES 
Diversity Immigrants (Beginning in FY 1995)
SymbolClassSection of Law
DV1Diversity Immigrant203(c) 
DV2Spouse of DV1203(c) 
DV3Child of DV1203(c) 
Transition for Employees of Certain U.S. Businesses in Hong Kong (Fiscal Years 1991-1993)*  
SymbolClassSection of Law
HK1Employee of U.S. Business in Hong Kong§124 of the Immigration Act of 1990
HK2Spouse of HK1§124 of the Immigration Actof 1990
HK3Child of HK1§124 of the Immigration Actof 1990
November 7th, 2011 | Category: Employment-based Immigration, Family-based Immigration

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