Opinion ID: 809268
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Matter of Wang

Text: The BIA answered this question in Matter of Wang, 25 I. & N. Dec. 28 (2009). The BIA held that unlike subsections (h)(1) and (h)(2), “which when read in tandem clearly define the universe of petitions that qualify for the ‘delayed processing formula,’ the language of [subsection (h)(3)] does not 11822 DE OSORIO v. MAYORKAS expressly state which petitions qualify for automatic conversion and retention of priority dates.” Id. at 33. Based on this observation alone, the BIA found the statute ambiguous and turned to the Department of Homeland Security’s past regulatory practice and the CSPA’s legislative history. Id. The BIA noted that “the phrase ‘automatic conversion’ has a recognized meaning” in immigration regulations. Id. at 34. According to the BIA, the term “conversion” has consistently meant that a visa petition converts from one visa category to another without the need to file a new petition, and priority date retention has always applied only to subsequent visa petitions filed by the same petitioner. Id. at 34-35. The BIA offered several examples. Under 8 C.F.R. § 204.2(i)(3), if an LPR petitioner becomes a citizen, his adult son or daughter’s visa petition automatically converts from an F2B petition (for adult sons and daughters of LPRs) to an F1 petition (for adult sons and daughters of citizens), and retains its original priority date. In this case, the identity of the petitioner remains the same. Additionally, 8 C.F.R. § 204.2(a)(4) allows an aged-out derivative beneficiary of an F2A spousal petition to retain his priority date as long as the original petitioner (his parent) submits an F2B visa petition on his behalf. Again, the petitioner remains the same. Wang, 25 I. & N. Dec. at 35. The BIA assumed that when Congress enacted subsection (h)(3), it understood past usage of these regulatory terms. Id. The BIA also surveyed the legislative history of the CSPA and concluded that “there is no indication in the statutory language or legislative history of the CSPA that Congress intended to create a mechanism to avoid the natural consequence of a child aging out of a visa category because of the length of the visa line.” Id. at 38. Finding no indication that Congress attempted to “expand on the historical application of automatic conversion and retention of priority dates for visa petitions,” the BIA declined “to read such an expansion into the statute.” Id. DE OSORIO v. MAYORKAS 11823 Under the BIA’s interpretation of subsection (h)(3), only subsequent visa petitions that do not require a change of petitioner may convert automatically to a new category and retain the original petition’s priority date. Automatic conversion and priority date retention would thus be only available to F2A petition beneficiaries, including primary child beneficiaries and derivative beneficiaries of F2A spousal petitions. This is because these aged-out beneficiaries may become primary beneficiaries of an F2B petition filed by the same petitioner.