STATE DEPARTMENT VISA NUMBERS FOR SEPTEMBER 1996

IMMIGRANT NUMBERS FOR SEPTEMBER 1996

A) STATUTORY NUMBERS 

This communication provides priority dates and other transitional information as taken

from the State Department's Visa Bulletin released August 12, 1996.)

On the following chart, the listing of a date for any class indicates 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   		15JUN86

2A*  		22JAN93        		22JAN93		08JUN92		22JAN93

2B   		01APR91        		01APR91		01APR91 		01APR91

3rd  		01AUG93        		01AUG93   	01NOV87   	01SEP85

4th  		01MAR86        		01JUL84   	U   		19OCT77

*NOTE:  For SEPTEMBER, 2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are available to 

applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 08JUN92.  2A numbers

SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to all countries 

EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 08JUN92 and earlier than 01JAN93.  (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              	U		C        		C

2nd       	C              	U         	C         	C

3rd       	C              	U         	C         	01JUL95

Other   		08AUG87		U		08AUG87		08AUG87
Workers

4th       	C              	U		C         	01AUG95

Certain 		C              	U		C         	01AUG95   
Religious Workers

5th       	C              	U		C         	C

Targeted		C              	U		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 SEPTEMBER 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.  DV visas 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 SEPTEMBER, 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		
ASIA      		CURRENT		
EUROPE    		CURRENT		EXCEPT:   POLAND       	EU 	05,899
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. 	NOTES ON VISA AVAILABILITY

A few OTHER WORKERS numbers which had been allocated for July were returned unused at

the end of that month.  As a result, a very small September allocation has been 

possible, for applicants with priority dates before August 8, 1987.

Regular monthly allocations of OTHER WORKERS numbers will resume for October the first

month of fiscal year 1997.  Current indications suggest that an early 1989 visa cut-off 

date is probable for October.  The cut-off date can be expected to move ahead during 

subsequent months, but it is not possible to predict how rapid the advance will be.

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Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk.