Sec. 2302. Merit-based track two
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In addition to any immigrant visa made available under the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq. ), as amended by this Act, the Secretary of State shall allocate merit-based immigrant visas as described in this section. An alien admitted on the basis of a merit-based immigrant visa under this section shall have the status of an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence (as that term is defined in section 101(a)(20) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20))).
Beginning on October 1, 2014, the following aliens shall be eligible for merit-based immigrant visas under this section: An alien who is the beneficiary of a petition filed before the date of the enactment of this Act to accord status under section 203(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, if the visa has not been issued within 5 years after the date on which such petition was filed. Subject to subsection (d), an alien who is the beneficiary of a petition filed to accord status under section 203(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act— prior to the date of the enactment of this Act, if the visa was not issued within 5 years after the date on which such petition was filed; or after such date of enactment, to accord status under paragraph
(3)or
(4)of section 203(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1153(a) ), as in effect the minute before the effective date specified in section 2307(a)(3) of this Act, and the visa was not issued within 5 years after the date on which petition was filed. An alien who— is not admitted pursuant to subparagraph
(W)of section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)); and has been lawfully present in the United States in a status that allows for employment authorization for a continuous period, not counting brief, casual, and innocent absences, of not less than 10 years. In each of the fiscal years 2015 through and including 2021, the Secretary of State shall allocate to aliens described in subsection (c)(1) a number of merit-based immigrant visas equal to 1/7 of the number of aliens described in subsection (c)(1) whose visas had not been issued as of the date of the enactment of this Act. The visas authorized by subsection (c)(2) shall be allocated as follows: Petitions to accord status under section 203(a)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(a)(2)(A)), as in effect the minute before the effective date specified in section 2307(a)(3) of this Act, are automatically converted to petitions to accord status to the same beneficiaries as immediate relatives under section 201(b)(2)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151(b)(2)(A)). In each of the fiscal years 2015 through and including 2021, the Secretary of State shall allocate to the aliens described in subsection (c)(2)(A), other than those aliens described in paragraph (1), a number of transitional merit-based immigrant visas equal to 1/7 of the difference between— the number of aliens described in subsection (c)(2)(A) whose visas had not been issued as of the date of the enactment of this Act; and the number of aliens described in paragraph (1). Subject to paragraphs
(1)and (2), the visas authorized by subsection (c)(2)(A) shall be issued without regard to a per country limitation in the order described in section 203(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1153(a) ), as amended by section 2305(b), in the order in which the petitions to accord status under such section 203(a) were filed prior to the date of the enactment of this Act. In fiscal year 2022, the Secretary of State shall allocate to the aliens described in subsection (c)(2)(B), the number of merit-based immigrant visas equal to 1/2 of the number of aliens described in subsection (c)(2)(B) whose visas had not been issued by October 1, 2021. In fiscal year 2023, the Secretary of State shall allocate to the aliens described in subsection (c)(2)(B), the number of merit-based immigrant visas equal to the number of aliens described in subsection (c)(2)(B) whose visas had not been issued by October 1, 2022. Subject to paragraph (4), the visas authorized by subsection (c)(2)(B) shall be issued in the order in which the petitions to accord status under section 203(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act were filed, as in effect the minute before the effective date specified in section 2307(a)(3) of this Act. In determining an alien's inadmissibility under this section, section 212(a)(9)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ( 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(9)(B) ) shall not apply. Beginning in fiscal year 2029, aliens eligible for adjustment of status under subsection (c)(3) must be lawfully present in an employment authorized status for 20 years prior to filing an application for adjustment of status.
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