Immigration Law Infographics by Jan Albrecht

Mapping
‍Your Journey

They say a picture is worth a thousand words.

So rather than putting you to sleep while overexplaining the complex mechanics of employment-based immigration, family-based immigration, permanent alien labor certifications, U.S. nonimmigrant visas, and the U.S. immigration system in general, I chose to present all that information in a visual form. I hope you'll find these infographics both informative and engaging.

A navy captain looking through a binocular and holding a phone in his other hand

Employment-Based Immigration Flowchart

This flowchart takes into account all possible scenarios of the journey from immigrant visa petition (or permanent alien labor certification approval) to green card.

All employment immigrants fall into 5 distinct preference categories (with sub-categories within each one), which are based on the nature of their permanent employment, self-employment, service in a religious vocation and occupation for religious workers, investment in the case of immigrant investors, the employment, service or investment requirements as well as employment experience and educational qualifications.

All employment immigrants without exceptions are subject to strict numerical quotas.

Family-Based Immigration Flowchart

This flowchart illustrates the ins and outs of the family-based immigration petition process, which is nearly identical in structure to the employment-immigration one.

The difference here is that, unlike their employment-based counterparts, all of whom are subject to strict numerical quotas, some family immigrants are exempt from the quotas and can immigrate at any time, such as parents of U.S. citizens, spouses of U.S. citizens, and children and stepchildren (under 21) of U.S. citizens.

Another difference is that, unlike prospective employment relationships that are permitted for employment-based immigration, the qualifying family relationships here must exist at the time of the petition filing, except in the cases of special immigrant juveniles, orphans, and intercountry adoptees.

A happy family of a man and woman holding a baby in their arms

Permanent Alien Labor Certification Case Map

The vast majority of employment-based immigration cases actually begin with a permanent alien labor certification, which precedes the employment-based immigration petition.

The structure of a permanent alien labor certification case resembles a long commute on a congested urban transportation network, with eerily similar issues, delays and complications. Some commuters never make it from point A to point B, others are forced to exit early or repeat their journey.

Those who receive the coveted permanent alien labor certification can then proceed with the petition process through their petitioning employers, as depicted on the employment-based immigration flowchart.

The Periodic Table of Visas

This one-of-a-kind interactive tool has been designed to make sense out of the numerous and confusing nonimmigrant visa classifications: their purposes, requirements, benefits, limitations, opportunities, flexibilities/inflexibilities, interrelationships, and, of course, their legal citations.

This periodic table is probably the closest that the U.S. immigration system can resemble a natural science. Similar to chemical elements, some visa classifications don’t mix or interact well with others. Other combinations are more compatible. Some visas are quite common. Others are akin to rare metals.

It’s fascinating to see them all here, in one place, because such a table doesn’t exist anywhere else except on this website.

A map of the world with all the countries

The World Map According to the U.S. Immigration & Nationality Laws

This colorful map suggests that the U.S. lawmakers’ rationale for the disparate treatment of different nationalities under the immigration law has not evolved much since the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. Similar to the world maps from centuries past, this one too has no shortage of fascinating geographical curiosities.

One’s nationality and one’s place of birth matter so much in this world that they immediately open or preclude many available immigration options and opportunities.

So that’s why “where are you from?” is probably the most important question that an immigration lawyer must ask a prospective client.

Let’s Get to Work on Your Case

Schedule your consultation with Jan Albrecht

Schedule Now