Immigration proposals may impact employment, family visas

May 17, 2013

After the most recent election, representatives from both political parties stated a desire to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Many people enter the United States without going through the immigration process, and the system has struggled to find an effective way to handle those individuals who are here illegally.

Much of the debate has focused on providing a potential path to citizenship for those immigrants, but legislators are also considering changes to the visa system. This is the process where individuals are able to enter the country legally, if they meet certain employment or family-based immigration visa requirements.

Currently, there is a large backlog of cases for individuals who have applied for family visas. This process normally allows relatives, such as spouses, siblings or parents to come to the U.S. to be reunited with individuals currently holding visas. Because these visas are limited by quotas, it can take a long time for someone's application to get to the front of the line.

Legislators want to reduce the backlog of these cases, and have proposed removing the limits in place on those currently waiting for family visas during the first ten years of the new bill. Senators working on the legislation estimate that this would impact 800,000 pending applications, allowing them to eliminate the number of people who have been waiting years to enter the country. A new system would then be developed for those who would apply after new rules go into effect.

The new rules may be more focused on skills that are in demand by employers. Family members would still be allowed to request one of the visas, but would need to show other qualifications in addition to the family connections that they have. This could be one issue that receives a lot of debate as the bill is being considered.

Changes will certainly be coming to the immigration process, which will change the way that individuals will be able to enter the country legally. These changes may only add to the wait that families must undergo before they are able to reunite in the U.S.

If you have questions about your family's situation, speak to an attorney experienced at handling family immigration matters. It is important that those filing for visas complete the steps of the process correctly. Any incomplete paperwork can result in delays. Working with someone who has helped others go through this process can help you understand what you need to do to ensure that your request is complete.

Article provided by Chavez & Valko, LLP
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