An applicant may intend to use an earlier priority date than the one indicated on his or her latest petition. This situation may occur when the same petitioner in a family-based category has filed more than one petition on behalf of an applicant for the same classification.[27] It may also occur in certain employment-based categories. Specifically, in the event that an applicant is the beneficiary of multiple approved employment-based petitions filed under 1st, 2nd, or 3rd preference, the applicant is entitled to the earliest priority date.[28]