Per-Country Limit [Immigration] Law and Legal Definition
As used in the context of immigration, the term ‘per-country limit’ means the maximum number of family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas that can be issued to citizens of any country in a fiscal year. [U.S. Customs and Immigration Services].
Per-country limits may vary from year to year. The limits are calculated each fiscal year depending on the total number of family-sponsored and employment-based visas available. In a fiscal year, more than 7 percent of the visas cannot be issued to natives of any one independent country, and more than 2 percent must not be issued to any one dependency of any independent country. However, the per-country limit does not mean that a country is entitled to the maximum number of visas each year; it just indicates that an independent country cannot receive more than that number. Because of the combined workings of the preference system and per-country limits, most countries do not reach this level of visa issuance.
Legal Definition list
Related Legal Terms
- Accompanying Relative [Immigration]
- Adjust Status [Immigration]
- Administrative Appeals Office [Immigration]
- Adopted Decision [Immigration]
- Aggregate Lifetime Limit
- Aggregate Limit [Insurance]
- Agricultural Worker [Immigration]
- All-Limitations Rule
- American Immigration Lawyers Association
- Annual Limit on Intake (ALI)
