Skip to main content
HR 717 113th Congress House

Reuniting Families Act

Official title: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to promote family unity, and for other purposes.

Introduced: February 14, 2013 See on congress.gov
Immigration Administrative remediesAsiaCaribbean areaCitizenship and naturalization
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
Criminal justice information and recordsCubaDepartment of Homeland SecurityDomestic violence and child abuseFamily relationshipsForeign laborFraud offenses and financial crimesHuman traffickingImmigration status and proceduresLatin AmericaMarriage and family statusMilitary personnel and dependentsPhilippinesRefugees, asylum, displaced personsVisas and passports
This bill died when the 113th Congress ended
It never became law before the 113th Congress (2013–2014) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Apr 8, 2013
Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security.
Feb 14, 2013
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Feb 14, 2013
Introduced in House
 Ask about this bill AI · grounded in the bill text

Have a question about what this bill does? Ask in plain English; the answer is drawn from the bill's actual text and official record, and it'll tell you when something isn't in the text rather than guess.

AI answers can be imperfect; always confirm against the full bill text.

 Latest action April 8, 2013

Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration And Border Security.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Reuniting Families Act - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to establish the fiscal year worldwide level of employment-based immigrants at 140,000 plus: (1) the previous year's unused visas, and (2) the number of unused visas from FY1992-FY2011.

Establishes the fiscal year worldwide level of family-sponsored immigrants at 480,000 plus: (1) the previous year's unused visas, and (2) the number of unused visas from FY1992-FY2011.

Revises the definition of "immediate relative" to: (1) mean a child, spouse, or parent of a U.S. citizen or the child or spouse of a lawful permanent resident (and for each family member of a citizen or resident, such individual's accompanying spouse or child), except that in the case of parents such citizens shall be at least 21 years old; (2) permit a widow or widower of a U.S. citizen or resident to seek permanent resident status if married at least two years at the time of the citizen's or resident's death or, if married less than two years, by showing through a preponderance of the evidence that the marriage was entered into in good faith and not solely to obtain an immigration benefit; and (3) include an alien who was the child or parent of a U.S. citizen or resident at the time of the citizen's or resident's death if the alien files a petition within two years after such date or prior to reaching 21 years old.

Increases immigration visas for: (1) unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, and (2) brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens.

Provides an 80,640 visa allocation for the unmarried sons and daughters of permanent resident aliens.

Increases annual per country (10% of annual total) and dependent area (5% of annual total) limits for employment-based and family-sponsored immigrant visas.

Expands specified family-unity exceptions to unlawful presence-based inadmissibility.

Provides specified relief for orphans and spouses regarding: (1) petitions for immediate relative status, (2) parole eligibility, (3) permanent resident status adjustment, and (4) processing of immigrant visas.

Makes an alien inadmissible for willful misrepresentation of citizenship. (Under current law inadmissibility is based on false representation of citizenship.)

Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act - Exempts children of naturalized Filipino World War II veterans from worldwide or numerical immigrant limitations.

Makes a minor child of an alien fiancee/fiance or of an alien spouse of a U.S. citizen eligible for derivative K-visa status provided that the child's age is determined using such child's age at the date that the petition to classify such child's parent as a K-visa alien is filed with the Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS).

Authorizes the Secretary or the Attorney General to adjust the status of a finacee/fiance or alien spouse and any minor children (K-visa) to conditional permanent resident status if such alien marries the petitioner within three months after U.S. admission.

Redefines "child" for purposes of titles I and II of the Act to include a stepchild under 21 years old. (Current law includes a stepchild who has not reached 18 years old at the time the marriage creating the status of stepchild occurred.)

Amends INA to include a "permanent partner" within the scope of such Act.

Revises provisions regarding: (1) priority date retention; (2) false claims and misrepresentations; and (3) waiver eligibility for widows, widowers, and orphans.

Defines "permanent partner" as an individual 18 or older who: (1) is in a committed, intimate relationship with another individual 18 or older in which both individuals intend a lifelong commitment; (2) is financially interdependent with the other individual; (3) is not married to, or in a permanent partnership with, anyone other than the individual; (4) is unable to contract with the other individual a marriage cognizable under this Act; and (5) is not a first, second, or third degree blood relation of the other individual.

Defines "permanent partnership" as the relationship existing between two permanent partners.

Defines "alien permanent partner" as the individual in a permanent partnership who is being sponsored for a visa.

 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 717: Reuniting Families Act. 113th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-717/
MLA
"H.R. 717: Reuniting Families Act." 113th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-717/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 717, 113th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-717/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 717: Reuniting Families Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/113-HR-717/)
Report a problem