I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5327 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to end the immigrant visa 
backlog, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 5, 2019 
Ms. SHALALA (for herself and Ms. WASSERMAN SCHULTZ) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 
A BILL 
To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to end the 
immigrant visa backlog, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Resolving Extended 
Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families Act’’ or the 
‘‘RELIEF Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. NUMERICAL LIMITATION TO ANY SINGLE FOREIGN 
STATE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 202(a)(2) of the Immi-
gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(a)(2)) is 
amended— 
(1) in the paragraph heading, by striking ‘‘AND 
EMPLOYMENT-BASED’’; 
(2) by striking ‘‘(3), (4), and (5),’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘(3) and (4),’’; 
(3) by striking ‘‘subsections (a) and (b) of sec-
tion 203’’ and inserting ‘‘section 203(a)’’; 
(4) by striking ‘‘7’’ and inserting ‘‘15’’; and 
(5) by striking ‘‘such subsections’’ and inserting 
‘‘such section’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 202 of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1152) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ‘‘both sub-
sections (a) and (b) of section 203’’ and inserting 
‘‘section 203(a)’’; 
(2) by striking subsection (a)(5); and 
(3) by amending subsection (e) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(e) SPECIAL RULES FOR COUNTRIES AT CEILING.— 
If it is determined that the total number of immigrant 
visas made available under section 203(a) to natives of 
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any single foreign state or dependent area will exceed the 
numerical limitation specified in subsection (a)(2) in any 
fiscal year, in determining the allotment of immigrant visa 
numbers to natives under section 203(a), visa numbers 
with respect to natives of that state or area shall be allo-
cated (to the extent practicable and otherwise consistent 
with this section and section 203) in a manner so that, 
except as provided in subsection (a)(4), the proportion of 
the visa numbers made available under each of paragraphs 
(1) through (4) of section 203(a) is equal to the ratio of 
the total number of visas made available under the respec-
tive paragraph to the total number of visas made available 
under section 203(a).’’. 
(c) COUNTRY-SPECIFIC OFFSET.—Section 2 of the 
Chinese Student Protection Act of 1992 (8 U.S.C. 1255 
note) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘subsection 
(e))’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (d))’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (d) and redesignating 
subsection (e) as subsection (d). 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect as if enacted on September 
30, 2019, and shall apply to fiscal years beginning with 
fiscal year 2020. 
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percent shall be allotted to immigrants who are 
natives of any single foreign state. 
(3) SPECIAL
RULE
TO
PREVENT
UNUSED 
VISAS.—If, with respect to fiscal year 2020, 2021, or 
2022, the operation of paragraphs (1) and (2) of 
this subsection would prevent the total number of 
immigrant visas made available under paragraph (2) 
or (3) of section 203(b) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 
1153(b)) from being issued, such visas may be 
issued during the remainder of such fiscal year with-
out regard to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this sub-
section. 
(4) TRANSITION
RULE
FOR
CURRENTLY
AP-
PROVED BENEFICIARIES.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding sec-
tion 202 of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act, as amended by this Act, immigrant visas 
under section 203(b) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)) shall be al-
located such that no alien described in subpara-
graph (B) receives a visa later than the alien 
otherwise would have received said visa had this 
Act not been enacted. 
(B) ALIEN DESCRIBED.—An alien is de-
scribed in this subparagraph if the alien is the 
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beneficiary of a petition for an immigrant visa 
under section 203(b) of the Immigration and 
Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153(b)) that was 
approved prior to the date of enactment of this 
Act. 
(5) 
RULES
FOR
CHARGEABILITY.—Section 
202(b) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(b)) shall apply 
in determining the foreign state to which an alien is 
chargeable for purposes of this subsection. 
(6) ENSURING
AVAILABILITY
OF
IMMIGRANT 
VISAS.—For each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, 
notwithstanding sections 201 and 202 of the Immi-
gration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1151, 1152), 
as amended by this Act, additional immigrant visas 
under section 203 of the Immigration and Nation-
ality Act (8 U.S.C. 1153) shall be made available 
and allocated— 
(A) such that no alien who is a beneficiary 
of a petition for an immigrant visa under such 
section 203 receives a visa later than the alien 
otherwise would have received such visa had 
this Act not been enacted; and 
(B) to permit all visas to be distributed in 
accordance with this section. 
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SEC. 3. ENDING IMMIGRANT VISA BACKLOG. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—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, subject 
to paragraphs (1) and (2), the Secretary of State shall 
make immigrant visas available to— 
(1) aliens who are beneficiaries of petitions filed 
under subsection (b) of section 203 of such Act (8 
U.S.C. 1153) before the date of the enactment of 
this Act; and 
(2) aliens who are beneficiaries of petitions filed 
under subsection (a) of such section before the date 
of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) ALLOCATION OF VISAS.—The visas made avail-
able under this section shall be allocated as follows: 
(1) 
EMPLOYMENT-SPONSORED
IMMIGRANT 
VISAS.—In each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, 
the Secretary of State shall allocate to aliens de-
scribed in subsection (a)(1) a number of immigrant 
visas equal to 1⁄5 of the number of aliens described 
in such subsection the visas of whom have not been 
issued as of the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(2) FAMILY-SPONSORED IMMIGRANT VISAS.—In 
each of fiscal years 2020 through 2024, the Sec-
retary of State shall allocate to aliens described in 
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subsection (a)(2) a number of immigrant visas equal 
to 1⁄5 of the difference between— 
(A) the number of aliens described in such 
subsection the visas of whom have not been 
issued as of the date of the enactment of this 
Act; and 
(B) the number of aliens described in sub-
section (a)(1). 
(c) ORDER OF ISSUANCE FOR PREVIOUSLY FILED 
APPLICATIONS.—The visas made available under this sec-
tion shall be issued in accordance with section 202 of the 
Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1152), as 
amended by this Act, in the order in which the petitions 
under section 203 of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1153) were filed. 
SEC. 4. KEEPING AMERICAN FAMILIES TOGETHER. 
(a) RECLASSIFICATION
OF SPOUSES
AND MINOR 
CHILDREN OF LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS AS IM-
MEDIATE
RELATIVES
AND
EXEMPTION
OF
DERIVA-
TIVES.—The Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1101 et seq.) is amended— 
(1) in section 201(b) (8 U.S.C. 1151(b))— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(F) Aliens who derive status under section 
203(d).’’; and 
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(B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(2)(A) IMMEDIATE
RELATIVES.—Aliens who 
are immediate relatives. 
‘‘(B) DEFINITION OF IMMEDIATE RELATIVE.— 
In this paragraph, the term ‘immediate relative’ 
means— 
‘‘(i) a child, spouse, or parent of a citizen 
of the United States, except that in the case of 
such a parent such citizen shall be at least 21 
years of age; 
‘‘(ii) a child or spouse of an alien lawfully 
admitted for permanent residence; 
‘‘(iii) a child or spouse of an alien de-
scribed in clause (i), who is accompanying or 
following to join the alien; 
‘‘(iv) a child or spouse of an alien de-
scribed in clause (ii), who is accompanying or 
following to join the alien; 
‘‘(v) an alien admitted under section 
211(a) on the basis of a prior issuance of a visa 
to the alien’s accompanying parent who is an 
immediate relative; and 
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‘‘(vi) an alien born to an alien lawfully ad-
mitted for permanent residence during a tem-
porary visit abroad. 
‘‘(C) TREATMENT OF SPOUSE AND CHILDREN 
OF
DECEASED
CITIZEN
OR
LAWFUL
PERMANENT 
RESIDENT.—If an alien who was the spouse or child 
of a citizen of the United States or of an alien law-
fully admitted for permanent residence and was not 
legally separated from the citizen or lawful perma-
nent resident at the time of the citizen’s or lawful 
permanent resident’s death files a petition under 
section 204(a)(1)(B), the alien spouse (and each 
child of the alien) shall remain, for purposes of this 
paragraph, an immediate relative during the period 
beginning on the date of the citizen’s or permanent 
resident’s death and ending on the date on which 
the alien spouse remarries. 
‘‘(D) PROTECTION OF VICTIMS OF ABUSE.—An 
alien who has filed a petition under clause (iii) or 
(iv) of section 204(a)(1)(A) shall remain, for pur-
poses of this paragraph, an immediate relative if the 
United States citizen or lawful permanent resident 
spouse or parent loses United States citizenship on 
account of the abuse.’’; and 
(2) in section 203(a) (8 U.S.C. 1153(a))— 
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(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘23,400’’ 
and inserting ‘‘111,334’’; and 
(B) by amending paragraph (2) to read as 
follows: 
‘‘(2) 
UNMARRIED
SONS
AND
UNMARRIED 
DAUGHTERS OF LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS.— 
Qualified immigrants who are the unmarried sons or 
unmarried daughters (but are not the children) of 
aliens lawfully admitted for permanent residence 
shall be allocated visas in a number not to exceed 
26,266, plus— 
‘‘(A) the number of visas by which the 
worldwide level exceeds 226,000; and 
‘‘(B) the number of visas not required for 
the class specified in paragraph (1).’’. 
(b) PROTECTING CHILDREN FROM AGING OUT.— 
Section 203(h) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1153(h)) is amended— 
(1) by amending paragraph (1) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of subsection 
(d), a determination of whether an alien satisfies the 
age requirement in the matter preceding subpara-
graph (A) of section 101(b)(1) shall be made using 
the age of the alien on the date on which the peti-
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tion is filed with the Secretary of Homeland Security 
under section 204.’’; 
(2) by amending paragraph (2) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(2) PETITIONS
DESCRIBED.—A petition de-
scribed in this paragraph is a petition filed under 
section 204 for classification of— 
‘‘(A) the alien’s parent under subsection 
(a), (b), or (c); or 
‘‘(B) the alien as an immediate relative 
based on classification as a child of— 
‘‘(i) a citizen of the United States; or 
‘‘(ii) a lawful permanent resident.’’; 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘subsections 
(a)(2)(A) and’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection’’; and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) TREATMENT
FOR
NONIMMIGRANT
CAT-
EGORIES PURPOSES.—An alien dependent treated as 
a child for immigrant visa purposes under this sub-
section shall be treated as a dependent child for non-
immigrant categories.’’. 
(c) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) DEFINITIONS.—Section 101(a)(15)(K)(ii) of 
the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 
1101(a)(15)(K)(ii)) is amended by striking ‘‘section 
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201(b)(2)(A)(i)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 201(b)(2) 
(other than clause (v) or (vi) of subparagraph (B))’’. 
(2) RULES FOR DETERMINING WHETHER CER-
TAIN ALIENS ARE IMMEDIATE RELATIVES.—Section 
201(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 
U.S.C. 1151(f)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘para-
graphs (2) and (3),’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph 
(2),’’; 
(B) by striking paragraph (2); 
(C) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and 
(4) as paragraphs (2) and (3), respectively; and 
(D) in paragraph (3), as so redesignated, 
by striking ‘‘through (3)’’ and inserting ‘‘and 
(2)’’. 
(3) 
PER
COUNTRY
LEVEL.—Section 
202(a)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1152(a)(1)(A)) is amended by striking 
‘‘section 201(b)(2)(A)(i)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 
201(b)(2) (other than clause (v) or (vi) of subpara-
graph (B))’’. 
(4) NUMERICAL
LIMITATION
TO
ANY
SINGLE 
FOREIGN
STATE.—Section 202(a)(4) (8 U.S.C. 
1152(a)(4)) is amended— 
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(A) by striking subparagraphs (A) and 
(B); 
(B) by redesignating subparagraphs (C) 
and (D) as subparagraphs (A) and (B), respec-
tively; and 
(C) in subparagraph (A), as so redesig-
nated— 
(i) by striking the undesignated mat-
ter following clause (ii); 
(ii) by striking clause (ii); 
(iii) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘, or’’ 
and inserting a period; and 
(iv) in the matter preceding clause (i), 
by striking ‘‘section 203(a)(2)(B) may not 
exceed’’ and all that follows through ‘‘23 
percent’’ in clause (i) and inserting ‘‘sec-
tion 203(a)(2) may not exceed 23 per-
cent’’. 
(5) PROCEDURES
FOR
GRANTING
IMMIGRANT 
STATUS.—Section 204 of the Immigration and Na-
tionality Act (8 U.S.C. 1154) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in paragraph (1)— 
(I) in subparagraph (A)— 
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(aa) in clause (i), by striking 
‘‘section 201(b)(2)(A)(i)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘clause (i) or (ii) of sec-
tion 201(b)(2)(B)’’; 
(bb) in clause (ii), by strik-
ing ‘‘the second sentence of sec-
tion 201(b)(2)(A)(i)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘section 201(b)(2)(C)’’; 
(cc) by amending clause (iii) 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(iii)(I) An alien who is described in clause 
(ii) may file a petition with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security under this subparagraph for 
classification of the alien (and any child of the 
alien) if the alien demonstrates to the Secretary 
that— 
‘‘(aa) the marriage or the intent to 
marry the citizen of the United States or 
lawful permanent resident was entered into 
in good faith by the alien; and 
‘‘(bb) during the marriage or relation-
ship intended by the alien to be legally a 
marriage, the alien or a child of the alien 
has been battered or has been the subject 
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of extreme cruelty perpetrated by the 
alien’s spouse or intended spouse. 
‘‘(II) For purposes of subclause (I), an 
alien described in this subclause is an alien— 
‘‘(aa)(AA) who is the spouse of a cit-
izen of the United States or lawful perma-
nent resident; 
‘‘(BB) who believed that he or she 
had married a citizen of the United States 
or lawful permanent resident and with 
whom a marriage ceremony was actually 
performed and who otherwise meets any 
applicable requirements under this Act to 
establish the existence of and bona fides of 
a marriage, but whose marriage is not le-
gitimate solely because of the bigamy of 
such citizen of the United States or lawful 
permanent resident; or 
‘‘(CC) who was a bona fide spouse of 
a citizen of the United States or a lawful 
permanent resident within the past 2 years 
and whose spouse died within the past 2 
years, whose spouse renounced citizenship 
status or renounced or lost status as a law-
ful permanent resident within the past 2 
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years related to an incident of domestic vi-
olence, or who demonstrates a connection 
between the legal termination of the mar-
riage within the past 2 years and battering 
or extreme cruelty by a spouse who is a 
citizen of the United States or a lawful 
permanent resident spouse; 
‘‘(bb) who is a person of good moral 
character; 
‘‘(cc) who is eligible to be classified as 
an 
immediate 
relative 
under 
section 
201(b)(2)(B) or who would have been so 
classified but for the bigamy of the citizen 
of the United States or lawful permanent 
resident that the alien intended to marry; 
and 
‘‘(dd) who has resided with the alien’s 
spouse or intended spouse.’’; 
(dd) by amending clause (iv) 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(iv) An alien who is the child of a citizen 
or lawful permanent resident of the United 
States, or who was a child of a United States 
citizen or lawful permanent resident parent who 
within the past 2 years lost or renounced citi-
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zenship status related to an incident of domes-
tic violence, and who is a person of good moral 
character, who is eligible to be classified as an 
immediate relative under section 201(b)(2)(B), 
and who resides, or has resided in the past, 
with the citizen or lawful permanent resident 
parent may file a petition with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security under this subparagraph for 
classification of the alien (and any child of the 
alien) under such section if the alien dem-
onstrates to the Secretary that the alien has 
been battered by or has been the subject of ex-
treme cruelty perpetrated by the alien’s citizen 
or lawful permanent resident parent. For pur-
poses of this clause, residence includes any pe-
riod of visitation.’’; 
(ee) in clause (v)(I), in the 
matter preceding item (aa), by 
inserting ‘‘or lawful permanent 
resident’’ after ‘‘citizen’’; 
(ff) in clause (vi), by strik-
ing ‘‘renunciation of citizenship’’ 
and all that follows through ‘‘citi-
zenship status’’ and inserting 
‘‘renunciation of citizenship or 
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lawful permanent resident status, 
death of the abuser, divorce, or 
changes to the abuser’s citizen-
ship or lawful permanent resident 
status’’; and 
(gg) in clause (vii), by strik-
ing 
‘‘section 
201(b)(2)(A)(i)’’ 
each place it appears and insert-
ing ‘‘section 201(b)(2)(B)’’; 
(II) by amending subparagraph 
(B) to read as follows: 
‘‘(B)(i)(I) Except as provided in subclause 
(II), any alien lawfully admitted for permanent 
residence claiming that an alien is entitled to a 
classification by reason of the relationship de-
scribed in section 203(a)(2) may file a petition 
with the Attorney General for such classifica-
tion. 
‘‘(II) Subclause (I) shall not apply in the 
case of an alien lawfully admitted for perma-
nent residence who has been convicted of a 
specified offense against a minor (as defined in 
subparagraph (A)(viii)(II)), unless the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security, in the Secretary’s 
sole and unreviewable discretion, determines 
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that such person poses no risk to the alien with 
respect to whom a petition described in sub-
clause (I) is filed. 
‘‘(ii) An alien who was the child of a lawful per-
manent resident who within the past 2 years lost 
lawful permanent resident status due to an incident 
of domestic violence, and who is a person of good 
moral character, who is eligible for classification 
under section 203(a)(2), and who resides, or has re-
sided in the past, with the alien’s permanent resi-
dent alien parent may file a petition with the Sec-
retary of Homeland Security under this subpara-
graph for classification of the alien (and any child 
of the alien) under such section if the alien dem-
onstrates to the Secretary that the alien has been 
battered by or has been the subject of extreme cru-
elty perpetrated by the alien’s permanent resident 
parent. 
‘‘(iii)(I) For purposes of a petition filed or ap-
proved under clause (ii), the loss of lawful perma-
nent resident status by a parent after the filing of 
a petition under that clause shall not adversely af-
fect approval of the petition, and for an approved 
petition, shall not affect the alien’s ability to adjust 
status under subsections (a) and (c) of section 245 
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or obtain status as a lawful permanent resident 
based on an approved self-petition under clause (ii). 
‘‘(II) Upon the lawful permanent resident par-
ent becoming or establishing the existence of United 
States citizenship through naturalization, acquisition 
of citizenship, or other means, any petition filed with 
the Secretary of Homeland Security and pending or 
approved under clause (ii) on behalf of an alien who 
has been battered or subjected to extreme cruelty 
shall be deemed reclassified as a petition filed under 
subparagraph (A) even if the acquisition of citizen-
ship occurs after the termination of parental 
rights.’’; and 
(III) in subparagraph (D)(i)(I), 
by striking ‘‘paragraph (1), (2), or 
(3)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraph (1) or 
(3)’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (2)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘spousal second 
preference petition’’ each place it ap-
pears and inserting ‘‘petition for the 
spouse of an alien lawfully admitted 
for permanent residence’’; and 
(II) in the undesignated matter 
following subparagraph (A)(ii), by 
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striking ‘‘preference status under sec-
tion 203(a)(2)’’ and inserting ‘‘classi-
fication as an immediate relative 
under section 201(b)(2)(B)(ii)’’; 
(B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘or 
preference status’’; and 
(C) in subsection (k)(1), by striking 
‘‘203(a)(2)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘203(a)(2)’’. 
(6) 
EXCLUDABLE
ALIENS.—Section 
212(d)(12)(B) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(d)(12)(B)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘section 201(b)(2)(A)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 
201(b)(2) (other than subparagraph (B)(vi))’’. 
(7) ADMISSION
OF
NONIMMIGRANTS.—Section 
214(r)(3)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act 
(8 U.S.C. 1184(r)(3)(A)) is amended by striking 
‘‘section 201(b)(2)(A)(i)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 
201(b)(2) (other than clause (v) or (vi) of subpara-
graph (B)).’’ 
(8) DEFINITION
OF
ALIEN
SPOUSE.—Section 
216(h)(1)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality 
Act (8 U.S.C. 1186a(h)(1)(A)) is amended by insert-
ing ‘‘or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent 
residence’’ after ‘‘United States’’. 
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(9) REFUGEE CRISIS IN IRAQ ACT OF 2007.— 
Section 1243(a)(4) of the Refugee Crisis in Iraq Act 
of 2007 (Public Law 110–118; 8 U.S.C. 1157 note) 
is amended by striking ‘‘section 201(b)(2)(A)(i)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘section 201(b)(2) (other than clause 
(v) or (vi) of subparagraph (B))’’. 
(10) PROCESSING
OF
VISA
APPLICATIONS.— 
Section 233(b)(1) of the Department of State Au-
thorization Act, Fiscal Year 2003 (Public Law 107– 
228; 8 U.S.C. 1201 note) is amended by striking 
‘‘section 201(b)(2)(A)(i)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 
201(b)(2) (other than clause (v) or (vi) of subpara-
graph (B))’’. 
Æ 
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