Availability of Immigrant Visa Numbers for August, 2011 By: Allen E. Kaye

C = Current
U = Unavailable
Cut-off date = The cut-off date is the priority date of the first applicant who could not be reached within the statutory limit for the month.

Only applicants who have priority dates earlier than the cut-off date may be allocated a number

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES  

The first preference (unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens) category remained at May 1, 2004 for all chargeability areas, China (mainland born), and India. Mexico remained at  March 8, 1993. The Philippines remained April 15, 1996.

The 2A second preference (spouses and unmarried children of permanent residents—subject to per country limit) category moved forward to July 22, 2008 for all chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India, and the Philippines. Mexico moved to June 1, 2008.

The 2B second preference (unmarried sons and daughters, 21 years of age or older, of permanent residents) category moved to July 1, 2003 for all chargeability areas, including China (mainland born) and India.  Mexico moved forward to October 1, 1992. The Philippines moved to December 1, 2000.

The F3 third preference (married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens) category moved forward to August 22, 2001 for all chargeability areas, China (mainland born), and India.  Mexico remained at November 15, 1992. The Philippines moved to April 1, 1992.

The F4 fourth preference (brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens) category remained at April 8, 2000 for all chargeability area, India and China (mainland born). Mexico moved one week to March 8, 1996. The Philippines remained at May 15, 1988.

NOTE:  “immediate relatives” (husbands and wives, under 21-years-old unmarried children and parents of U.S. citizens over 21 years of age) are not included in this listing of family-sponsored preferences as they do not need a visa number.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES  

The E1 first preference (Priority Workers) category remains current for all chargeability areas including China (mainland born), India, Mexico, Philippines. 

The E2 second preference (professionals holding advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability) category remained current for all chargeability areas including Mexico, and the Philippines. China (mainland born) and India moved forward to April 15, 2007.

The E3 third preference (skilled workers and professionals) category moved forward three weeks to November 1, 2005 for all chargeability areas and the Philippines. China (mainland born) moved to July 8, 2004.  India moved one month to June 1, 2002.  Mexico moved to November 1, 2005.

The EW third preference other workers (unskilled workers) category moved to May 1, 2005 for all chargeability areas and the Philippines. Mexico moved to May 1, 2005. India moved four weeks to June 1, 2002. China remained at April 22, 2003.

The E4 fourth preference (certain special immigrants) category remains current for all chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India, Mexico and the Philippines

The E4 fourth preference (certain religious workers,) category remains current for all chargeability areas and China (mainland born), India, Mexico, and Philippines.

The E5 fifth preference – employment creation (investors) category remains current for all chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India, Mexico, and the Philippines.  Employment Creation (Investors in Targeted Employment Areas) category remained current for all chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India, Mexico, and the Philippines.  Pilot programs remained current for all chargeability areas, China (mainland born), India, Mexico, and the Philippines.

DETERMINATION OF THE NUMERICAL LIMITS ON IMMIGRANTS REQUIRED UNDER THE TERMS OF THE IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT (INA)

1.  Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sets an annual minimum family-sponsored preference limit of 226,000.  The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000.  Section 202 prescribes that the per-country limit for preference immigrants is set at 7% of the total annual family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits, i.e., 25,620.  The dependent area limit is set at 2%, or 7,320.

2. Section 203 of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of immigrant visas as follows:

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

First: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.

Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, and any unused first preference numbers:

A. Spouses and Children: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;

B. Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older): 23% of the overall second preference limitation.

Third: Married Sons and Daughters of Citizens: 23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.

Fourth: Brothers and Sisters of Adult Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES

First: Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.

Second: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.

Third: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to "Other Workers."

Fourth: Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.

Fifth: Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of P.L. 102-395.

INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed.  Section 203(d) provided that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal.  The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e) apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa demand exceeds the per-country limit.  These provisions apply at present to the following chargeability areas: INDIA, MEXICO, PHILIPPINES and CHINA (mainland born).  This limits the number of visas available to immigrants chargeable to these countries in the various preference categories.

EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCE VISA AVAILABILITY

Employment Third Preference Other Workers Category:  Section 203(e) of the NACARA, as amended by Section 1(e) of Pub. L. 105-139, provides that once the Employment Third Preference Other Worker (EW) cut-off date has reached the priority date of the latest EW petition approved prior to November 19, 1997, the 10,000 EW numbers available for a fiscal year are to be reduced by up to 5,000 annually beginning in the following fiscal year.  This reduction is to be made for as long as necessary to offset adjustments under the NACARA program.  Since the EW cut-off date reached November 19, 1997 during Fiscal Year 2001, the reduction in the EW annual limit to 5,000 began in Fiscal Year 2002.

DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY

Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides a maximum of up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit immigration opportunities for persons from countries other than the principal sources of current immigration to the United States.  The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program.  This reduction has resulted in the DV-2011 annual limit being reduced to 50,000.  DV visas are divided among six geographic regions.  No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.

For August, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2011 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:

All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately

Region

AFRICA: 71,000;

Except: ETHIOPIA:      32,400

ASIA: 39,750;

EUROPE:        Current;

Except: UZBEKISTAN:           Unavailable

NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS):    Current

OCEANIA:      Current

SOUTH AMERICA and the CARIBBEAN:    Current

Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery.  The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2010 program ends as of September 30, 2011.  DV visas may not be issued to DV-2011 applicants after that date.  Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2010 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2011.  DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2010 cannot be taken for granted.  Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.

Warning: DV Lottery Notification Scam

An email claiming to come from the U.S. Department of State, stating that "you have been selected as one of the lucky winners" of the DV visa lottery and asking for payment of $749 for singles and $949 for families is not a legitimate notification. The sender is trying to steal your money, and you will not get a visa from it.

A legitimate notification of selection under the DV lottery will come ONLY by mail, will include a packet of forms for you to complete, and will NOT ask you for money.