State Department Visa Bulletin - May 2003

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State Department Visa Bulletin – May 2003

The Department of State has released the Bulletin for May 2003, which summarizes the current availability of immigrant numbers.

Family Numbers

All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed

MEXICO

PHILIPPINES

1st

01OCT99

01JAN94

01JUN90

2A*

15MAR98

01OCT95

15MAR98

2B

01OCT94

15NOV91

01OCT94

3rd

15MAR97

01JUL93

15JAN90

4th

01JUN91

01JUN91

15JAN82

*NOTE: For April, 2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 15AUG95. 2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 15AUG95 and earlier than 01FEB98. (All 2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit; there are no 2A numbers for MEXICO subject to per-country limit.)

Employment Numbers

All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed

MEXICO

PHILIPPINES

1st

C

C

C

2nd

C

C

C

3rd

C

C

C

Other Workers

C

C

C

4th

C

C

C

Certain Religious Workers

C

C

C

5th

C

C

C

Targeted Employment Areas/Regional Centers

C

C

C

The Department of State has available a recorded message with visa availability information which can be heard at: (202) 663-1541. This recording will be updated in the middle of each month with information on cut-off dates for the following month.

B. 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 (NCARA) 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 NCARA program. This reduction has resulted in the DV-2003 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 May, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2003 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:

Region

All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately

Africa

AF 19,880

Asia

AS 13,400

Europe

EU 29,550

North America (Bahamas)

NA 14

Oceania

OC 470

South America (Caribbean)

SA 1,340

C. ADVANCE NOTIFICATION OF THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN MARCH

For June, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2003 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:

Region

All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately

Africa

AF 26,100

Asia

AS 16,450

Europe

EU 33,000

North America (Bahamas)

NA 15

Oceania

OC 530

South America (Caribbean)

SA 1,600

D. PHILIPPINES VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE COMING MONTHS

Continued heavy applicant demand for numbers in the PHILIPPINES Family First, Third, and Fourth preference categories could require the retrogression of those cut-off dates later in the year. This action would be necessary to hold visa issuance within the annual numerical limits.

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