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VISA NUMBERS FOR JULY 1996
STATE DEPARTMENT VISA BULLETIN FOR JULY 1996 
A) STATUTORY NUMBERS (This communication provides priority dates and other transitional information as taken from the State Department's Visa Bulletin released June 11, 1996.) On the following chart, the listing of a date for any classindicates that the class is oversubscribed; "C" means current, i.e., numbers are available for all qualified applicants; and "U" means unavailable, i.e., no numbers are available. 
PREFERENCES
FAMILY
          All Charge-
          ability Areas  
          Except Those        
          Listed         INDIA     MEXICO    PHILIPPINES 

1st       C              C         U         01MAY86

2A*       22DEC92        22DEC92   15MAY92   22DEC92

2B        01MAR91        01MAR91   01MAR91   01MAR91

3rd       01AUG93        01AUG93   15OCT87   01APR85

4th       15FEB86        08OCT84   01JUL85   08OCT77
*NOTE: For JULY, 2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 15MAY92. 2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 15MAY92 and earlier than 22DEC92. (2A numbers subject to per-country limit are"unavailable" for applicants chargeable to MEXICO.) 
EMPLOYMENT-BASED

          All Charge-
          ability Areas  
          Except Those   
          Listed         INDIA     MEXICO    PHILIPPINES  

1st       C              C         C         C

2nd       C              U         C         C

3rd       C              U         C         01FEB95

Other     08MAY87        U         08MAY87   08MAY87
Workers

4th       C              C         C         08MAR95

Certain   C              C         C         08MAR95   
Religious Workers

5th       C              C         C         C

Targeted  C              C         C         C  
Employment Areas/Regional Centers
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. 
ADDITIONAL HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE JULY 1996 VISA BULLETIN 
B. DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY 
Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to provide immigration opportunities for persons from countries other than the principal sources of current immigration to the United States. DVvisas are divided among six geographic regions. Not more than 3,850 visas (7% of the 55,000 visa limit) may be provided to immigrants from any one country. 
For JULY, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified 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
Region         Listed Separately                          

AFRICA         CURRENT        EXCEPT:   ETHIOPIA       AF   34,356

ASIA           CURRENT        EXCEPT:   BANGLADESHA    AS   06,320

EUROPE         CURRENT        EXCEPT:   POLAND         EU   05,003

NORTH AMERICA  CURRENT
   (BAHAMAS)

OCEANIA        CURRENT

SOUTH AMERICA, CURRENT
 CENTRAL AMERICA
 and the CARRIBBEAN
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-96 program ends as of September 30, 1996. DV visas may not be issued to DV-96 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-96 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 1996. 
C. AVAILABILITY OF EMPLOYMENT "OTHER WORKER" (EW) NUMBERS 
A small amount of "EW" numbers which had been provided to consular offices for April were returned unused after the end of that month and thus became available for reallocation. All remaining "EW" numbers have been allocated for applicants whose priority dates are within the July cut-off date (which is 08MAY87). No furtherallocation of "EW" numbers will be possible for the remainder of FY-1996. 
Regular "EW" allocations will resume in October, the first month of the new fiscal year. A cut-off date of 1988 is possible for October. Subsequent advances in the cut-off date will depend on the quantities and priority dates of applicants for visas or adjustment of status in this category.