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STATE DEPARTMENT VISA NUMBERS FOR MARCH 1997
MARCH 1997 STATE DEPARTMENT VISA NUMBERS
 A.   STATUTORY NUMBERS (This communication provides priority dates
 and other transitional information as taken from the State
 Department's Visa Bulletin released February 11, 1997.)  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-c
      ability Areas  
      Except Those        
      Listed         INDIA          MEXICO         PHILIPPINES 
 
 1st  01APR96        01APR96        08DEC92        15JUL86
 
 2A*  15FEB93        15FEB93        08JUN92        15FEB93
 
 2B   08MAR91        08MAR91        08MAR91        08MAR91
 
 3rd  22DEC93        22DEC93        01FEB88        08NOV85
 
 4th  15AUG86        01MAR85        01OCT85        01DEC77
 
 *NOTE:  For MARCH, 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 15FEB93. 
 (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              22MAR96        C              C
 
 3rd       C              15NOV94        C              C
 
 Other     01MAR90        01MAR90        01MAR90        01MAR90
 Workers
 
 4th       C              C              C              C
 
 Certain   C              C              C              C   
 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 MARCH 1997 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 MARCH, 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 Charge-
                ability Areas
                Except Those
 Region         Listed Separately
 
 AFRICA         AF   35,830         EXCEPT:   GHANA AF 07,564
                                              NIGERIA AF 06,812
 
 ASIA           AS   08,811         EXCEPT:   BANGLADESH AS 06,910
 
 EUROPE         EU   27,399         EXCEPT:   ALBANIA  EU  16,850
                                              POLAND EU  06,410
 
 NORTH AMERICA
 (BAHAMAS)           CURRENT
 
 OCEANIA             CURRENT
 
 SOUTH AMERICA       CURRENT
 (CENTRAL AMERICA,
 and the CARRIBBEAN
 
 (NOTE: Heavy applicant demand has resulted in the establishment of
 a regional rank cut-off for Europe, and has required the
 retrogression of the Ghana and Nigeria rank cutt-offs for March.
 Increased demand for DV numbers from Oceania will make necessary
 the establishment of a regional rank cut-off for April.) 
 
 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-97 program ends as of September 
 30, 1997.  DV visas may not be issued to DV-97 applicants after
 that date.  Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or
 following to join DV-97 principals are only entitled to derivative
 DV status until September 30, 1997.
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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.