Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

8 U.S.C. § 1259

Record of admission for permanent residence in the case of certain aliens who entered the United States prior to January 1, 1972

section 1182(a)(3)(E) of this titlesection 1182(a) of this titleA record of lawful admission for permanent residence may, in the discretion of the Attorney General and under such regulations as he may prescribe, be made in the case of any alien, as of the date of the approval of his application or, if entry occurred prior to , as of the date of such entry, if no such record is otherwise available and such alien shall satisfy the Attorney General that he is not inadmissible under or under insofar as it relates to criminals, procurers and other immoral persons, subversives, violators of the narcotic laws or smugglers of aliens, and he establishes that he—
(a)
entered the United States prior to ;
(b)
has had his residence in the United States continuously since such entry;
(c)
is a person of good moral character; and
(d)
section 1227(a)(4)(B) of this title is not ineligible to citizenship and is not deportable under .

June 27, 1952, ch. 47766 Stat. 219Pub. L. 85–61672 Stat. 546Pub. L. 89–236, § 1979 Stat. 920Pub. L. 99–603, title II, § 203(a)100 Stat. 3405Pub. L. 100–525, § 2(j)102 Stat. 2612Pub. L. 101–649, title VI, § 603(a)(14)104 Stat. 5083Pub. L. 104–132, title IV, § 413(e)110 Stat. 1269Pub. L. 104–208, div. C, title III, § 308(g)(10)(C)110 Stat. 3009–625(, title II, ch. 5, § 249, ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , ; , , .)

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 104–2081996—Par. (d). substituted “section 1227(a)(4)(B)” for “section 1251(a)(4)(B)”.

Pub. L. 104–132section 1251(a)(4)(B) of this title inserted “and is not deportable under ” after “ineligible to citizenship”.

Pub. L. 101–6491990— substituted “1182(a)(3)(E)” for “1182(a)(33)”.

Pub. L. 100–525Pub. L. 99–6031988— amended . See 1986 Amendment note below.

Pub. L. 99–603Pub. L. 100–525section 1182(a)(33) of this title1986—, as amended by , inserted “under or” in introductory provisions and substituted “” for “” in section heading and in par. (a).

Pub. L. 89–2361965— substituted “” for “”.

Pub. L. 85–616section 1182(a) of this title1958— permitted record of lawful admission to be made in the case of aliens who entered the United States prior to , authorized the record to be made as of the date of the approval of the application for those who entered subsequent to , and prior to , and substituted provisions requiring the alien to satisfy the Attorney General that he is not inadmissible under insofar as it relates to criminals, procurers and other immoral persons, subversives, violators of the narcotic laws or smugglers of aliens for provisions which required the alien to satisfy the Attorney General that he was not subject to deportation.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1996 Amendments

Pub. L. 104–208section 309 of Pub. L. 104–208section 1101 of this titleAmendment by effective, with certain transitional provisions, on the first day of the first month beginning more than 180 days after , see , set out as a note under .

Pub. L. 104–132section 413(g) of Pub. L. 104–132section 1253 of this titleAmendment by effective , and applicable to applications filed before, on, or after such date if final action not yet taken on them before such date, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

Pub. L. 101–649section 601(e)(1) of Pub. L. 101–649section 1101 of this titleAmendment by applicable to individuals entering United States on or after , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–525Pub. L. 99–603section 2(s) of Pub. L. 100–525section 1101 of this titleAmendment by effective as if included in enactment of Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, , see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1965 Amendment

Pub. L. 89–236section 20 of Pub. L. 89–236section 1151 of this titleFor effective date of amendment by , see , set out as a note under .

Abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service and Transfer of Functions

section 1551 of this titleFor abolition of Immigration and Naturalization Service, transfer of functions, and treatment of related references, see note set out under .

Applicability of Numerical Limitations

Pub. L. 99–603, title II, § 203(c)100 Stat. 3405

8 U.S.C. 11518 U.S.C. 1259“The numerical limitations of sections 201 and 202 of the Immigration and Nationality Act [, 1152] shall not apply to aliens provided lawful permanent resident status under section 249 of that Act [].”
, , , provided that: