Special Immigrant Visa (SIV)

What Is A

Special Immigrant Visa (SIV)

A Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) is for a noncitizen who qualifies for a Green Card (permanent residence) after meeting certain criteria. Depending on the classification, an employer or the noncitizen must file a petition with USCIS.

Special Immigrant Juvenilles

Fourth Preference and More

You may be eligible for an employment-based, fourth preference (EB-4) visa if you are a special immigrant. The following special immigrants are eligible for the fourth preference visa:

• Religious workers;
• Special Immigrant Juveniles;
• Certain broadcasters;
• Certain retired officers or employees of a G-4 international organization or NATO-6 civilian employees and their family members;
• Certain employees of the U.S. government who are abroad and their family members;
• Members of the U.S. armed forces;
• Panama Canal company or Canal Zone government employees;
• Certain physicians licensed and practicing medicine in a U.S. state as of Jan. 9, 1978;
• Afghan or Iraqi translators or interpreters;
• Iraqis who were employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government; and
• Afghans who were employed by the U.S. government or International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).