Chapter 1 - Purpose and Background

A. Purpose

A special immigrant is an alien who may qualify for lawful permanent residence under certain provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). Special immigrants are eligible to apply for lawful admission as a permanent resident or adjustment of status to permanent residence.

B. Background

The INA defines the term “special immigrant” to include various categories of aliens, such as religious workers, special immigrant juveniles, and employees and former employees of the U.S. government or others who have benefited or faithfully served the U.S. government abroad.^[1] Congress also created additional special immigrant classifications through public laws not incorporated in the INA. Special immigrant classifications are subject to the numerical limitations on admissions set forth in the INA.^[2] Certain special immigrant classifications are exempt from these numerical limits, to include: Iraqis employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government;^[3] Afghans employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government;^[4] and Iraqi and Afghan translators and interpreters.^[5]

C. Scope

This Part addresses the following classes of special immigrants:

• Religious workers;^[6]
• Panama Canal Zone employees;^[7]
• Certain physicians;^[8]
• Certain G-4 or NATO-6 employees and their family members;^[9]
• Members of the U.S. armed forces;^[10]
• Certain broadcasters;^[11]
• Certain Iraqi nationals;^[12]
• Certain Afghan nationals;^[13] and
• Certain Iraqi and Afghan translators and interpreters.^[14]

Part H does not address the following classes of special immigrants:

• An immigrant, lawfully admitted for permanent residence, who is returning from a temporary visit abroad;^[15]
• An immigrant who was a citizen of the United States who may apply for reaquisition of citizenship;^[16]
• Certain employees or retired employees of the U.S. government abroad;^[17] and
• Certain dependents of a juvenile court or immigrants otherwise under certain legal commitment or state custody orders.^[18]

D. Legal Authorities

• INA 101(a)(27) – Special immigrant classifications
• INA 203(b)(4) – Certain special immigrants
• 8 CFR 204.5 – Petitions for employment-based immigrants
• 8 CFR 204.9 – Special immigrant status for certain aliens who have served honorably (or are enlisted to serve) in the Armed Forces of the United States for at least 12 years
• Section 1059 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2006, as amended – Special immigrant status for persons serving as translators and interpreters with the U.S. armed forces^[19]
• Section 1244 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, as amended – Special immigrant status for certain Iraqis^[20]
• Section 602(b) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009, as amended – Special immigrant status for certain Afghans^[21]

Footnotes

[^ 1] See INA 101(a)(27).

[^ 2] See INA 203(b)(4). See Chapter 2, Religious Workers [6 USCIS-PM H.2].

[^ 3] See Chapter 8, Certain Iraqi Nationals [6 USCIS-PM H.8].

[^ 4] See Chapter 9, Certain Afghan Nationals [6 USCIS-PM H.9].

[^ 5] See Chapter 10, Certain Iraqi and Afghan Translators and Interpreters [6 USCIS-PM H.10].

[^ 6] See INA 101(a)(27)(C).

[^ 7] See INA 101(a)(27)(E). See INA 101(a)(27)(F). See INA 101(a)(27)(G).

[^ 8] See INA 101(a)(27)(H).

[^ 9] See INA 101(a)(27)(I). See INA 101(a)(27)(L).

[^ 10] See INA 101(a)(27)(K).

[^ 11] See INA 101(a)(27)(M).

[^ 12] See Section 1244 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2008, Pub. L. 110-181 (PDF), 122 Stat. 3, 396 (January 28, 2008), as amended by Section 1 of the Special Immigrant Status for Certain Iraqis, Pub. L. 110-242 (PDF), 122 Stat. 1567 (June 3, 2008), by Section 1 of Pub. L. 113-42 (PDF), 127 Stat. 552 (October 4, 2013), by Section 1218 of the NDAA for FY 2014, Pub. L. 113-66 (PDF), 127 Stat. 672, 910 (December 26, 2013), and by Section 403 of the Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, Pub. L. 117-31 (PDF), 135 Stat. 309, 318 (July 30, 2021).

[^ 13] See Section 602(b) of the Afghan Allies Protection Act of 2009 (AAPA), Title VI of Pub. L. 111-8 (PDF), 123 Stat. 524, 807 (March 11, 2009), as amended by Section 1219 of the FY 2014 NDAA, Pub. L. 113-66 (PDF), 127 Stat. 672 (December 26, 2013), by Section 7034(o) the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014, Pub. L. 113-76 (PDF), 128 Stat. 5 (January 17, 2014), by Section 1 of the Emergency Afghan Allies Extension Act of 2014, Pub. L. 113-160 (PDF), 128 Stat. 1853 (August 8, 2014), by Section 1227 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon FY 2015 NDAA, Pub. L. 113-291 (PDF), 128 Stat. 3292 (December 19, 2014), by Section 1216 of the FY 2016 NDAA, Pub. L. 114-92 (PDF), 129 Stat. 726 (November 25, 2015), by Section 1214 of the FY 2017 NDAA, Pub. L. 114-328 (PDF), 130 Stat. 2000 (December 23, 2016), by Section 7083 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017, Pub. L. 115-31 (PDF), 131 Stat. 135 (May 5, 2017), by Section 1213 of the NDAA for FY 2018, Pub. L. 115-91 (PDF), 131 Stat. 1283 (December 12, 2017), by Section 1222 of the John S. McCain NDAA for FY 2019, Pub. L. 115-232 (PDF), 132 Stat. 1636 (August 13, 2018), by Section 7076 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019, Pub. L. 116-6 (PDF), 133 Stat. 13 (February 15, 2019), by Section 1215 of the FY 2020 NDAA, Pub. L. 116-92 (PDF), 133 Stat. 1198, 1632 (December 20, 2019), by Section 7034 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. 116-260 (PDF), 134 Stat. 1182 (December 27, 2020), by Section 1212 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry NDAA for FY21, Pub. L. 116-283 (PDF), 134 Stat. 3388 (January 1, 2021), and by Sections 401 and 403 of the Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, Pub. L. 117-31 (PDF), 135 Stat. 309, 315, 318 (July 30, 2021). For current program extension and visa numbers, see the Green Card for an Afghan Who Was Employed by or on Behalf of the U.S. Government webpage.

[^ 14] See Section 1059 of the NDAA for FY 2006, Pub. L. 109-163 (PDF), 119 Stat. 3136 (January 6, 2006), as amended by Pub. L. 110–36 (PDF), 121 Stat. 227 (June 15, 2007), and by Pub. L. 110-242 (PDF), 122 Stat. 1567 (June 3, 2008).

[^ 15] See INA 101(a)(27)(A). See 9 FAM 502.7-2(B), Returning Resident Status.

[^ 16] See INA 101(a)(27)(B).

[^ 17] See INA 101(a)(27)(D) (allowing for special immigrant status for an alien (and derivatives) who is an employee or is an honorably retired employee of the U.S. government outside the United States), as amended by Section 403 of the Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, Pub. L. 117-31 (PDF), 135 Stat. 309, 318 (July 30, 2021) (allowing for special immigrant status for the surviving spouse or child of an employee of the U.S. government abroad provided that the employee performed faithful service for a total of not less than 15 years or was killed in the line of duty). The U.S. Department of State adjudicates petitions for classification as special immigrant international employees of the U.S. government abroad. For more information, see Volume 7, Adjustment of Status, Part F, Special Immigrant-Based Adjustment, Chapter 3, International Employees of U.S. Government Abroad [7 USCIS-PM F.3].

[^ 18] For information about special immigrant juveniles defined by INA 101(a)(27)(J), see Part J, Special Immigrant Juveniles [6 USCIS-PM J].

[^ 19] See Section 1059 of the NDAA for FY 2006, Pub. L. 109-163 (PDF), 119 Stat. 3136 (January 6, 2006), as amended by Pub. L. 110–36 (PDF), 121 Stat. 227 (June 15, 2007), and by Pub. L. 110-242 (PDF), 122 Stat. 1567 (June 3, 2008).

[^ 20] See Section 1244 of the Defense Authorization Act for FY 2008, Pub. L. 110-181 (PDF), 122 Stat. 3 (January 28, 2008), as amended by Section 1 of the Special Immigrant Status for Certain Iraqis, Pub. L. 110-242 (PDF), 122 Stat. 1567 (June 3, 2008), by Section 1 of Pub. L. 113-42 (PDF), 127 Stat. 552, 552 (October 4, 2013), by Section 1218 of the NDAA for FY 2014, Pub. L. 113-66 (PDF), 127 Stat. 672 (December 26, 2013), and by Section 403 of the Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, Pub. L. 117-31 (PDF), 135 Stat. 319 (July 30, 2021).

[^ 21] See Section 602(b) of the AAPA, Title VI of Pub. L. 111-8 (PDF), 123 Stat. 524, 807 (March 11, 2009), as amended by Section 1219 of the FY 2014 NDAA, Pub. L. 113-66 (PDF), 127 Stat. 672 (December 26, 2013), by Section 7034(o) the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2014, Pub. L. 113-76 (PDF), 128 Stat. 5 (January 17, 2014), by Section 1 of the Emergency Afghan Allies Extension Act of 2014, Pub. L. 113-160 (PDF), 128 Stat. 1853 (August 8, 2014), by Section 1227 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon FY 2015 NDAA, Pub. L. 113-291 (PDF), 128 Stat. 3292 (December 19, 2014), by Section 1216 of the FY 2016 NDAA, Pub. L. 114-92 (PDF), 129 Stat. 726 (November 25, 2015), by Section 1214 of the FY 2017 NDAA, Pub. L. 114-328 (PDF), 130 Stat. 2000 (December 23, 2016), by Section 7083 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of FY 2017, Pub. L. 115-31 (PDF), 131 Stat. 135 (May 5, 2017), by Section 1213 of the FY 2018 NDAA, Pub. L. 115-91 (PDF), 131 Stat. 1283 (December 12, 2017), by Section 1222 of the John S. McCain FY 2019 NDAA, Pub. L. 115-232 (PDF), 132 Stat. 1636 (August 13, 2018), by Section 7076 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2019, Pub. L. 116-6 (PDF), 133 Stat. 13 (February 15, 2019), by Section 1215 of the FY 2020 NDAA, Pub. L. 116-92 (PDF), 133 Stat. 1198, 1632 (December 20, 2019), by Section 7034 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. 116-260 (PDF), 134 Stat. 1182 (December 27, 2020), by Section 1212 of the William M. (Mac) Thornberry NDAA for FY21, Pub. L. 116-283 (PDF), 134 Stat. 3388 (January 1, 2021), and by Sections 401 and 403 of the Emergency Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021, Pub. L. 117-31 (PDF), 135 Stat. 309, 315, 318 (July 30, 2021). For current program extension and visa numbers, see the Green Card for an Afghan Who Was Employed by or on Behalf of the U.S. Government webpage.