|  | Marriages & Family
                  Based Preferences : | 
         
          |  | Marriages within the U.S.
		  : |  | Marriages outside the U.S.
		  : | 
         
          |  | In many circumstances an alien within the U.S. may adjust their status to that of lawful permanent resident through marriage and without leaving the U.S. |  | There are two primary ways to sponsor your alien spouse if he/she is currently out of the country or you were maried overseas. | 
         
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          |  | Family Based Preferences
		  : |  |  | 
         
          |  | In order to sponsor a relative it is imperative to make certain that a 								
qualifiying  family relationship exists between the sponsor and alien beneficiairy.  								
Family based preferences are distinguished into two categories, "Immediate								
Relatives" and other close family relationships as defined in Preference categories								
1 through 4 below.  These categories are important because they determine what 								
groups receive priority to receive a limited number of immigration allotements per year. | 
         
          |  |  |  |  | 
        
          |  | Immediate Relatives
: |  |  | 
        
          |  | Include Spouses, Children (unmarried and unders 21), and Parents of U.S. Citizens. Immediate relatives are exempt from numerical limitations and have first priorityon family preference visas. |  |  | 
        
          |  |  |  |  | 
        
          |  | 1st Preference
: |  |  | 
        
          |  | Include
              Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S.
              Citizens.	 1st Preference relatives are
              limited to 23,400 visa allotments per
              year, plus any unused visas from the
              4th Preference category. |  |  |  | 
        
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          |  | 2nd Preference
: |  |  | 
        
          |  | Include Spouses and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Lawful Permanet Residents. 2nd Preference relatives receive an allotment of 114,200 per year plus any unused								
visa from the 1st preference category. |  |  | 
        
          |  |  |  |  | 
        
          |  | 3rd
          Preference : |  |  | 
        
          |  | Include Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens.							
3rd Preference relatives are limited to 23,400 visa allotments per year, plus any unused visas from the 1st and 2nd preference categories. | 
        
          |  |  |  |  | 
        
          |  | 4th
          Preference : |  |  | 
        
          |  | Include Brothers and Sisters of U.S. Citizens.	4th Preference relatives are limited to 65,000 visa allotments per year, plus any unused visas from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd preference categories. | 
        
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