Visa Bulletin for January 1996

IMMIGRANT NUMBERS FOR JANUARY 1996

A) STATUTORY NUMBERS (This communication provides priority dates
and other transitional information as taken from the State
Department's Visa Bulletin released December 14, 1995.)

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  CHINA-
        Except Those   mainland                
        Listed         born            INDIA           MEXICO         PHILIPPINES 

1st     C              C               C               01APR95        29JAN86

2A*     22AUG92        22AUG92         22AUG92         01MAR92        22AUG92

2B      01AUG90        01AUG90         01AUG90         01AUG90        01AUG90

3rd     08MAY93        08MAY93         08MAY93         08AUG87        08JUN84

4th     08OCT85        08OCT85         15JUN84         15JAN85        15SEP77

*NOTE:  For JANUARY, 2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are
available to applicants from all countries with priority dates
earlier than 01MAR92.  2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit
are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT
MEXICO with priority dates beginning 01MAR92 and earlier than
22AUG92.  (2A numbers subject to per-country limit are
"unavailable" for applicants chargeable to MEXICO.) (The three-
year transition program which had provided additional visass has
endhildren continue to accord them status in the Family 2A
preference, however.)

        All Charge-
        ability Areas  CHINA-
        Except Those   mainland
        Listed         born         INDIA      MEXICO     PHILIPPINES  
Employment-Based

1st     C              C             C         C          C

2nd     C              C             C         C          C

3rd     C              C             C         C          01MAY94

Other   01MAR91        01MAR91       01MAR91   01MAR91    01MAR91 
Workers

4th     C              C             C         C          08JAN94

Certain C              C             C         C          08JAN94   
Religious Workers

5th     C              C             C         C          C

Targeted C             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 JANUARY 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.

The allotment of FY-1996 visa numbers for each region is as
follows: Africa, 20,426; Asia, 7,087; Europe, 24,257; North
America (Bahamas), 8; South America, Central America, and the
Caribbean, 2,407; and Oceania, 815.

For JANUARY, 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                   AS 07,481       EXCEPT:  BANGLADESH 04,085

EUROPE                 CURRENT

NORTH AMERICA          CURRENT
(BAHAMAS)

OCEANIA                CURRENT

SOUTH AMERICA,         CURRENT
 CENTRAL AMERICA
 AND THE CARIBBEAN

NOTE:  Increased demand for DV numbers by applicants from Asia
(regional) and Bangladesh (country) has resulted in the
establishment of the above rank cut-offs.  A rank cut-off will
remain in effect for the foreseeable future in order to hold
issuance within the annual limits (regional/country).

For February, a rank cut-off will also be established for Oceania
(regional), and a cut-off will remain in effect for March.

For March, it will be necessary to establish a rank cut-off for
Poland (country).

All other areas (other than those mentioned) will stay "Current"
for February and March. It remains to be seen if applicant demand
will increase sufficiently to oversubscribe any other
region/country for a subsequent month.

© 1999, American Immigration Lawyers Association