Definition
Priority Date
Your place in line for a visa number, based on when your petition was filed.
For family cases, the priority date is the date USCIS received the I-130. For most employment cases, it is the date the PERM labor certification was filed. For EB-1, EB-2 NIW, and EB-5, it is the date USCIS received the I-140/I-526. You wait until the Visa Bulletin cutoff is later than your priority date.
See also
More immigration terms
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Priority Worker
An EB-1 immigrant visa beneficiary — extraordinary ability, outstanding professor, or executive.
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Prosecutorial Discretion
Government decisions to focus enforcement resources on certain cases and not others.
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Public Charge
A ground of inadmissibility for applicants likely to depend on government assistance.
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REAL ID
A federal identification standard for state-issued IDs used to board domestic flights.
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Reentry Permit
A travel document allowing an LPR to remain abroad for up to 2 years without losing status.
Not legal advice. Definitions are provided for educational use. For case-specific guidance, consult a licensed immigration attorney.