DOS Cable with Update on FY1996 EW Visa Availability
FM SecState WashDC
To All Immigrant Visa Processing Posts Priority
Unclas State 108334
Visas
E.O. 12958: N/A
Tags: CVIS
Subject: Update on FY-1996 “EW” Visa Availability
Ref: State 96443
1. This cable updates FY-96 “EW” visa availability developments. The visa office has now completed tabulations of the “EW” numbers which have been returned by consular offices and are available for reallocation.
2. All “EW” numbers which remain will be reallocated for July. When the July cut-off dates are prepared (in early June), and “EW” cut-off date will be set on the basis of the available visas. Numbers will be provided for applicants whose priority dates are within that cut-off. Since few numbers remain, a very substantial retrogression of the “EW” cut-off date must be expected.
3. Further FY-96 “EW” number requests will be processed by the visa office only for July, for applicants whose priority dates permit allocation during that month.
4. FY-97 “EW” allocations will begin in October, the first month of that fiscal year. It is likely that the October “EW” cut-off date will be much earlier than the cut-off which had applied during most of FY-96.
Christopher