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SEPTEMBER 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 August 12, 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-
     ability Areas  
     Except Those
     Listed         INDIA          MEXICO         PHILIPPINES 

1st  15FEB94        15FEB94        15FEB94        15SEP86
     
2A*  15MAY93        15MAY93        22AUG92        15MAY93
      
2B   08MAY91        08MAY91        01MAY91        08MAY91
     
3rd  01APR94        01APR94        08NOV88        01APR86
      
4th  01FEB87        01MAY85        08AUG86        01MAR78
  


*NOTE:  For SEPTEMBER, 2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are
available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 22AUG92.  2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO
with priority dates beginning 22AUG92 and earlier than 15MAY93. (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              C         C         C
                
3rd       C              08DEC95   C         C

Other     01JUL88        01JUL88   01JUL88   01JUL88
Workers
4th       C              C         C         C
Certain   01FEB95        01FEB95   01FEB95   01FEB95   
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 SEPTEMBER 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 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 Charge-
                    ability Areas
                    Except Those
Region              Listed Separately
AFRICA              CURRENT        
                                        ASIA                CURRENT
EUROPE              EU   34,855    EXCEPT:   ALBANIA  EU  23,008
                                        NORTH AMERICA

(BAHAMAS)          CURRENT
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-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. DV visa availability through
the very end of FY-1997 cannot be taken for granted.  Numbers could
be exhausted prior to September 30. Once all numbers provided by
law for the DV-97 program have been used, no further issuances will
be possible.


C.   RETROGRESSION OF THE WORLDWIDE "OTHER WORKER" CUT-OFF DATE



For September, the last month of the fiscal year, it has been
necessary to retrogress the Other Worker (EW)  cut-off date for all
countries to hold the FY-1997 issuances within the 10,000 annual
limit for this category.  

The Other Worker  cut-off date is expected to advance once again
with the start of the new fiscal year in October.

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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.