My parents applied for their permanent residency in 1998. By that time my brother was only 11 years old, however, when in 2010 finally it was the time for their case to be processed, my brother was 24 years old and had aged out. We knew this is going to be a long period of separation but we believed in the immigration system and that if you follow the law and wait, your case will be processed and United States system cares about family values. My parents applied for my brother one week after they came to United States in 2010, they sold their life back in Iran, moved here and started the very long waiting period so the family can be united again. Finally after seven years of waiting and being apart from my only brother we received a letter from National Visa Center that his case will be processed in February. The new travel ban bans the issuance of any immigrant visa to Iranians indefinitely.

We have always followed immigration laws and my brother have been waiting for seven years now. I have not seen him in the past nine years and my parents are waiting for seven years to be reunited with their only son. His life and future are on hold. He is waiting to start his life here for seven years now. He holds a Master’s Degree in Architecture.