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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  
Symbol Class Section of Law
IR1 Spouse of U.S. Citizen 201(b) 
IR2 Child of U.S. Citizen 201(b) 
IR3 Orphan Adopted Abroad by U.S. Citizen 201(b) 
IR4 Orphan to be Adopted In the U.S. by U.S. Citizen 201(b) 
IR5 Parent of U.S. Citizen at Least 21 Years of Age 201(b) 
CR1 Spouse of U.S. Citizen (Conditional Status) 201(b) & 216(a)(1) 
CR2 Child of U.S. Citizen (Conditional Status) 201(b) & 216 
IW2 Child of IW1 201(b) 
IB1 Self-petition Spouse of U.S. Citizen 204(a)(1)(A)(iii) 
IB2 Self-petition child of U.S. Citizen 204(a)(1)(A)(iv) 
IB3 Child of IB1 204(a)(1)(A)(iii) 
VI5 Parent 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
AM1 Vietnam Amerasian Principal 584(b)(1)(A),
AM2 Spouse or Child of AM1 584(b)(1)(B), and
AM3 Natural 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
SB1 Returning Resident 101(a)(27)(A) 
SC1 Person Who Lost U.S. Citizenship by Marriage 101(a)(27)(B) &324(a) 
SC2 Person Who Lost U.S. Citizenship by Serving in Foreign Armed Forces 101(a)(27)(B) & 327 
FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
Family 1st Preference
F11 Unmarried Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen 203(a)(1) 
F12 Child of F11 203(d) 
B11 Self-petition Unmarried Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen 204(a)(1)(A)(iv) &203(a)(1) 
B12 Child of B11 203(d) 
Family 2nd Preference (Subject To Country Limitations)
F21 Spouse of Alien Resident 203(a)(2)(A) 
F22 Child of Alien Resident 203(a)(2)(A) 
F23 Child of F21 or F22 203(d) 
F24 Unmarried Son or Daughter of Alien Resident 203(a)(2)(B) 
F25 Child of F24 203(d) 
C21 Spouse of Alien Resident (Conditional) 203(a)(2)(A) & 216 
C22 Child of Alien Resident (Conditional) 203(a)(2)(A) & 216 
C23 Child of C21 or C22 (Conditional) 203(d) & 216 
C24 Unmarried Son or Daughter of Alien Resident (Conditional) 203(a)(2)(B) & 216 
C25 Child of F24 (Conditional) 203(d) & 216 
B21 Self-petition Spouse of Lawful Permanent Resident 204(a)(1)(B)(ii) 
B22 Self-petition Child of Lawful Permanent Resident 204(a)(1)(B)(iii) 
B23 Child of B21 or B22 204(a)(1)(B)(ii) 
B24 Self-petition Unmarried Son or Daughter of Lawful Permanent Resident 204(a)(1)(B)(iii) 
B25 Child of B24 203(d) 
Family 2nd Preference 
(Exempt From Country Limitations)  
Symbol Class Section of Law
FX1 Spouse of Alien Resident 202(a)(4)(A) & 203(a)(2)(A) 
FX2 Child of Alien Resident 202(a)(4)(A) & 203(a)(2)(A) 
FX3 Child of FX1 and FX2 202(a)(4)(A) & 203(d)
CX1 Spouse of Alien Resident (Conditional) 202(a)(4)(A) , 203(a)(2)(A) & 216 
CX2 Child of Alien Resident (Conditional) 202(a)(4)(A) , 203(a)(2)(A) & 216 
CX3 Child of CX1 & CX2 (Conditional) 202(a)(4)(A) & 203(d)& 216 
BX1 Self-petition Spouse of Lawful Permanent Resident 204(a)(1)(B)(ii) 
BX2 Self-petition Child of Lawful Permanent Resident 204(a)(1)(B)(iii) 
BX3 Child of BX1 or BX2 203(d) 
Family 3rd Preference  
Symbol Class Section of Law
F31 Married Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen 203(a)(3) 
F32 Spouse of F31 203(d) 
F33 Child of F31 203(d) 
C31 Married Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen (Conditional) 203(a)(3) & 216 
C32 Spouse of C31 (Conditional) 203(d) & 216 
C33 Child of C31 (Conditional) 203(d) & 216 
B31 Self-petition Married Son or Daughter of U.S. Citizen 204(a)(1)(A)(iv) &203(a)(3) 
B32 Spouse of B31 203(d) 
B33 Child of B31 203(d) 
Family 4th Preference  
Symbol Class Section of Law
F41 Brother or Sister of U.S. Citizen 203(a)(4) 
F42 Spouse of F41 203(d) 
F43 Child of F41 203(d) 
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES 
Employment 1st Preference (Priority Workers)  
Symbol Class Section of Law
E11 Alien with Extraordinary Ability 203(b)(1)(A) 
E12 Outstanding Professor or Researcher 203(b)(1)(B) 
E13 Multinational Executive or Manager 203(b)(1)(C) 
E14 Spouse of E11, E12, or E13 203(d) 
E15 Child of E11, E12, or E13 203(d) 
Employment 2nd Preference (Professionals Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability)  
Symbol Class Section of Law
E21 Professional Holding Advanced Degree or of Exceptional Ability 203(b)(2) 
E22 Spouse of E21 203(d) 
E23 Child of E21 203(d) 
Employment 3rd Preference (Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers  
Symbol Class Section of Law
E31 Skilled Worker 203(b)(3)(A)(i) 
E32 Professional Holding Baccalaureate Degree 203(b)(3)(A)(ii) 
E34 Spouse of E31 or E32 203(d) 
E35 Child of E31 or E32 203(d) 
EW3 Other Worker (Subgroup Numerical Limit) 203(b)(3)(A)(iii) 
EW4 Spouse of EW3 203(d) 
EW5 Child of EW3 203(d) 
Employment 4th Preference 
(Certain Special Immigrants)  
Symbol Class Section of Law
BC1 Broadcaster 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) 
BC2 Accompanying spouse of a BC1 101(a)(27)(M) 
BC3 Accompanying child of a BC1 101(a)(27)(M) 
SD1 Minister of Religion 101(a)(27)(C) &203(b)(4) 
SD2 Spouse of SD1 101(a)(27)(C) &203(b)(4) 
SD3 Child of SD1 101(a)(27)(C) &203(b)(4) 
SE1 Certain Employees or Former Employees of the U.S. Government Abroad 101(a)(27)(D) 
SE2 Spouse of SE1 101(a)(27)(D) 
SE3 Child of SE1 101(a)(27)(D) 
SEH Employee of the U.S. Mission in Hong Kong or Immediate Family 101(a)(27)(D)Section 152 of the Immigration Act of 1990
SF1 Certain Former Employees of the Panama Canal Company or Canal Zone Government 101(a)(27) (E) 
SF2 Spouse or Child of SF1 101(a)(27) (E) 
SG1 Certain Former Employees of the U.S. Government in the Panama Canal Zone 101(a)(27)(F) 
SG2 Spouse or Child of SG1 101(a)(27)(F) 
SH1 Certain Former Employees of the Panama Canal Company or Canal Zone Government on April 1,1979 101(a)(27)(G) 
SH2 Spouse or Child of SH1 101(a)(27)(G) 
SJ1 Certain Foreign Medical Graduates (Adjustments Only) 101(a)(27)(H) 
SJ2 Accompanying Spouse or Child of SJ1 101(a)(27)(H) 
SK1 Certain Retired International Organization Employees 101(a)(27)(I)(iii) 
SK2 Spouse of SK1 101(a)(27)(I)(iv) 
SK3 Certain Unmarried Son or Daughter of International Organization Employee 101(a)(27)(I)(i) 
SK4 Certain Surviving Spouses of Deceased International Organization Employee 101(a)(27)(I)(ii) 
SL1 Juvenile Court Dependent 101(a)(27)(J) 
SM1 Alien 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) 
SM2 Spouse of SM1 101(a)(27)(K) 
SM3 Child of SM1 101(a)(27)(K) 
SM4 Alien 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) 
SM5 Spouse or Child of SM4 101(a)(27)(K) 
SN1 Certain retired NATO 6 civilians 101(a)(27)(L) 
SN2 Spouse of an immigrant classified SN1 101(a)(27)(L) 
SN3 Certain unmarried sons or daughters of NATO 6 civilian employees. 101(a)(27)(L) 
SN4 Certain surviving spouses of deceased NATO-6 civilian employees. 101(a)(27)(L) 
SR1 Certain Religious Workers 101(a)(27)(C)(ii) (II)&(III)
SR2 Spouse of SR1 101(a)(27)(C)(ii) (II)&(III)
SR3 Child of SR1 101(a)(27)(C)(ii) (II)&(III)
Employment 5th Preference (Employment Creation) (Conditional Status)  
Symbol Class Section of Law
C51 Employment Creation OUTSIDE Targeted Area 203(b)(5)(A) 
C52 Spouse of C51 203(d) 
C53 Child of C51 203(d) 
T51 Employment Creation IN Targeted Rural/High Unemployment Area 203(b)(5)(B) 
T52 Spouse of T51 203(d) 
T53 Child of T51 203(d) 
R51 Investor Pilot Program, OUTSIDE Targeted Area 203(b)(5) & §610 of the
R52 Spouse of R51 Departments of Commerce, Justice, R53 Child of R51 & State, the Judiciary & Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1993 (P.L. 102-395)
I51 Investor Pilot Program IN Targeted Area
I52 Spouse of I51
I53 Child of I51
OTHER NUMERICALLY LIMITED CATEGORIES 
Diversity Immigrants (Beginning in FY 1995)
Symbol Class Section of Law
DV1 Diversity Immigrant 203(c) 
DV2 Spouse of DV1 203(c) 
DV3 Child of DV1 203(c) 
Transition for Employees of Certain U.S. Businesses in Hong Kong (Fiscal Years 1991-1993)*  
Symbol Class Section of Law
HK1 Employee of U.S. Business in Hong Kong §124 of the Immigration Act of 1990
HK2 Spouse of HK1 §124 of the Immigration Actof 1990
HK3 Child of HK1 §124 of the Immigration Actof 1990
November 7th, 2011 | Category: Employment-based Immigration, Family-based Immigration

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