---identifier: "/us/cfr/t22/s42.54"source: "ecfr"legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"title: "22 CFR § 42.54 - Order of consideration."title_number: 22title_name: "Foreign Relations"section_number: "42.54"section_name: "Order of consideration."chapter_name: "DEPARTMENT OF STATE"subchapter_number: "E"subchapter_name: "VISAS"part_number: "42"part_name: "VISAS: DOCUMENTATION OF IMMIGRANTS UNDER THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT, AS AMENDED"positive_law: falsecurrency: "2026-04-05"last_updated: "2026-04-05"format_version: "1.1.0"generator: "[email protected]"authority: "8 U.S.C. 1104 and 1182; Pub. L. 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681; Pub. L. 108-449, 118 Stat. 3469; The Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (done at the Hague, May 29, 1993), S. Treaty Doc. 105-51 (1998), 1870 U.N.T.S. 167 (Reg. No. 31922 (1993)); 42 U.S.C. 14901-14954 (Pub. L. 106-279, 114 Stat. 825); 8 U.S.C. 1101 (Pub L. 117-31, 135 Stat. 309); 8 U.S.C. 1154 (Pub. L. 109-162, 119 Stat. 2960); 8 U.S.C. 1201 (Pub. L. 114-70, 129 Stat. 561)."regulatory_source: "52 FR 42613, Nov. 5, 1987, unless otherwise noted."cfr_part: "42"---
Identifier
/us/cfr/t22/s42.54
Currency
2026-04-05
Positive Law
No
Updated
2026-04-05
Chapter
Department of State
Authority
8 U.S.C. 1104 and 1182; Pub. L. 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681; Pub. L. 108-449, 118 Stat. 3469; The Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (done at the Hag... 8 U.S.C. 1104 and 1182; Pub. L. 105-277, 112 Stat. 2681; Pub. L. 108-449, 118 Stat. 3469; The Convention on Protection of Children and Co-operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption (done at the Hague, May 29, 1993), S. Treaty Doc. 105-51 (1998), 1870 U.N.T.S. 167 (Reg. No. 31922 (1993)); 42 U.S.C. 14901-14954 (Pub. L. 106-279, 114 Stat. 825); 8 U.S.C. 1101 (Pub L. 117-31, 135 Stat. 309); 8 U.S.C. 1154 (Pub. L. 109-162, 119 Stat. 2960); 8 U.S.C. 1201 (Pub. L. 114-70, 129 Stat. 561).
# 42.54 Order of consideration.(a) *General.* Consular officers shall request applicants to take the steps necessary to meet the requirements of INA 222(b) in order to apply formally for a visa as follows:(1) In the chronological order of the priority dates of all applicants within each of the immigrant classifications specified in INA 203 (a) and (b); and(2) In the random order established by the Secretary of State for each region for the fiscal year for applicants entitled to status under INA 203(c).(b) [Reserved][56 FR 51174, Oct. 10, 1991, as amended at 59 FR 15302, Mar. 31, 1994; 61 FR 1836, Jan. 24, 1996; 63 FR 48578, Sept. 11, 1998]