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VisaBulletinForAugust2016
Number95
VolumeIX
Washington,D.C
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A.STATUTORYNUMBERS
ThisbulletinsummarizestheavailabilityofimmigrantnumbersduringAugustfor:ApplicationFinalActionDatesandDatesfor
FilingApplications,indicatingwhenimmigrantvisaapplicantsshouldbenotifiedtoassembleandsubmitrequireddocumentation
totheNationalVisaCenter.
UnlessotherwiseindicatedontheUSCISwebsiteatwww.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo ,individualsseekingtofileapplicationsfor
adjustmentofstatuswithU.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServices(USCIS)intheDepartmentofHomelandSecuritymustuse
theApplicationFinalActionDateschartsbelowfordeterminingwhentheycanfilesuchapplications.WhenUSCISdetermines
thattherearemoreimmigrantvisasavailableforthefiscalyearthanthereareknownapplicantsforsuchvisas,USCISwillstate
onitswebsitethatapplicantsmayinsteadusethe"DatesforFilingVisaApplications"chartsinthisBulletin.Applicantsfor
adjustmentofstatusmayrefertoUSCISforadditionalinformationbyvisitingwww.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo .
1.Proceduresfordeterminingdates.ConsularofficersarerequiredtoreporttotheDepartmentofStatedocumentarilyqualified
applicantsfornumericallylimitedvisasUSCISreportsapplicantsforadjustmentofstatus.Allocationsinthechartsbelowwere
made,totheextentpossible,inchronologicalorderofreportedprioritydates,fordemandreceivedbyJuly11th.Ifnotalldemand
couldbesatisfied,thecategoryorforeignstateinwhichdemandwasexcessivewasdeemedoversubscribed.Thefinalactiondate
foranoversubscribedcategoryistheprioritydateofthefirstapplicantwhocouldnotbereachedwithinthenumericallimits.Ifit
becomesnecessaryduringthemonthlyallocationprocesstoretrogressafinalactiondate,supplementalrequestsfornumberswill
behonoredonlyiftheprioritydatefallswithinthenewfinalactiondateannouncedinthisbulletin.Ifatanytimeanannuallimit
werereached,itwouldbenecessarytoimmediatelymakethepreferencecategoryunavailable,andnofurtherrequestsfor
numberswouldbehonored.
2.Section201oftheImmigrationandNationalityAct(INA)setsanannualminimumfamilysponsoredpreferencelimitof
226,000.Theworldwidelevelforannualemploymentbasedpreferenceimmigrantsisatleast140,000.Section202prescribes
thatthepercountrylimitforpreferenceimmigrantsissetat7%ofthetotalannualfamilysponsoredandemploymentbased
preferencelimits,i.e.,25,620.Thedependentarealimitissetat2%,or7,320.
3.INASection203(e)providesthatfamilysponsoredandemploymentbasedpreferencevisasbeissuedtoeligibleimmigrantsin
theorderinwhichapetitioninbehalfofeachhasbeenfiled.Section203(d)providesthatspousesandchildrenofpreference
immigrantsareentitledtothesamestatus,andthesameorderofconsideration,ifaccompanyingorfollowingtojointhe
principal.ThevisaproratingprovisionsofSection202(e)applytoallocationsforaforeignstateordependentareawhenvisa
demandexceedsthepercountrylimit.Theseprovisionsapplyatpresenttothefollowingoversubscribedchargeabilityareas:
CHINAmainlandborn,ELSALVADOR,GUATEMALA,HONDURAS,INDIA,MEXICO,andPHILIPPINES.
4.Section203(a)oftheINAprescribespreferenceclassesforallotmentofFamilysponsoredimmigrantvisasasfollows:
FAMILYSPONSOREDPREFERENCES

First:(F1)UnmarriedSonsandDaughtersofU.S.Citizens:23,400plusanynumbersnotrequiredforfourthpreference.
Second:SpousesandChildren,andUnmarriedSonsandDaughtersofPermanentResidents:114,200,plusthenumber(ifany)
bywhichtheworldwidefamilypreferencelevelexceeds226,000,plusanyunusedfirstpreferencenumbers:
A.(F2A)SpousesandChildrenofPermanentResidents:77%oftheoverallsecondpreferencelimitation,ofwhich75%are
exemptfromthepercountrylimit
B.(F2B)UnmarriedSonsandDaughters(21yearsofageorolder)ofPermanentResidents:23%oftheoverallsecondpreference
limitation.
Third:(F3)MarriedSonsandDaughtersofU.S.Citizens:23,400,plusanynumbersnotrequiredbyfirstandsecond
preferences.
Fourth:(F4)BrothersandSistersofAdultU.S.Citizens:65,000,plusanynumbersnotrequiredbyfirstthreepreferences.
A.APPLICATIONFINALACTIONDATESFOR
FAMILYSPONSOREDPREFERENCECASES
Onthechartbelow,thelistingofadateforanyclassindicatesthattheclassisoversubscribed(seeparagraph1)"C"means
current,i.e.,numbersareauthorizedforissuancetoallqualifiedapplicantsand"U"meansunauthorized,i.e.,numbersarenot
authorizedforissuance.(NOTE:Numbersareauthorizedforissuanceonlyforapplicantswhoseprioritydateisearlierthanthe
finalactiondatelistedbelow.)
Family
Sponsored

AllChargeability
AreasExcept
ThoseListed

CHINAmainland
born

INDIA

MEXICO

PHILIPPINES

F1

22MAY09

22MAY09

22MAY09

08MAR95

22MAR05

F2A

15NOV14

15NOV14

15NOV14

01SEP14

15NOV14

F2B

08JAN10

08JAN10

08JAN10

08SEP95

15SEP05

F3

01DEC04

01DEC04

01DEC04

22OCT94

15MAR94

F4

15SEP03

01JAN03

01JAN01

15APR97

01FEB93

*NOTE:ForAugust,F2AnumbersEXEMPTfrompercountrylimitareauthorizedforissuancetoapplicantsfromallcountrieswith
prioritydatesearlierthan01SEP14.F2AnumbersSUBJECTtopercountrylimitareauthorizedforissuancetoapplicants
chargeabletoallcountriesEXCEPTMEXICOwithprioritydatesbeginning01SEP14andearlierthan15NOV14.(AllF2Anumbers
providedforMEXICOareexemptfromthepercountrylimittherearenoF2AnumbersforMEXICOsubjecttopercountrylimit.)
B.DATESFORFILINGFAMILYSPONSORED
VISAAPPLICATIONS
Thechartbelowreflectsdatesforfilingvisaapplicationswithinatimeframejustifyingimmediateactionintheapplicationprocess.
Applicantsforimmigrantvisaswhohaveaprioritydateearlierthantheapplicationdateinthechartbelowmayassembleand
submitrequireddocumentstotheDepartmentofStatesNationalVisaCenter,followingreceiptofnotificationfromtheNational
VisaCentercontainingdetailedinstructions.Theapplicationdateforanoversubscribedcategoryistheprioritydateofthefirst
applicantwhocannotsubmitdocumentationtotheNationalVisaCenterforanimmigrantvisa.Ifacategoryisdesignated
current,allapplicantsintherelevantcategorymayfileapplications,regardlessofprioritydate.
TheClistingindicatesthatthecategoryiscurrent,andthatapplicationsmaybefiledregardlessoftheapplicantsprioritydate.
Thelistingofadateforanycategoryindicatesthatonlyapplicantswithaprioritydatewhichisearlierthanthelisteddatemay
filetheirapplication.
Visitwww.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo forinformationonwhetherUSCIShasdeterminedthatthischartcanbeused(inlieuofthe
chartinparagraph4.A.)thismonthforfilingapplicationsforadjustmentofstatuswithUSCIS.
Family
Sponsored

AllChargeability
AreasExcept
ThoseListed

CHINA
mainland
born

INDIA

MEXICO

PHILIPPINES

F1

01JAN10

01JAN10

01JAN10

01APR95

22DEC05

F2A

22NOV15

22NOV15

22NOV15

22NOV15

22NOV15

F2B

08FEB11

08FEB11

08FEB11

22MAY96

01FEB06

F3

22AUG05

22AUG05

22AUG05

01MAY95

01AUG95

F4

15JUN04

15JUN04

01MAY04

01JUN98

15JUL93

5.Section203(b)oftheINAprescribespreferenceclassesforallotmentofEmploymentbasedimmigrantvisasasfollows:
EMPLOYMENTBASEDPREFERENCES
First:PriorityWorkers:28.6%oftheworldwideemploymentbasedpreferencelevel,plusanynumbersnotrequiredforfourth
andfifthpreferences.
Second:MembersoftheProfessionsHoldingAdvancedDegreesorPersonsofExceptionalAbility:28.6%oftheworldwide
employmentbasedpreferencelevel,plusanynumbersnotrequiredbyfirstpreference.
Third:SkilledWorkers,Professionals,andOtherWorkers:28.6%oftheworldwidelevel,plusanynumbersnotrequiredbyfirst
andsecondpreferences,notmorethan10,000ofwhichto"*OtherWorkers".
Fourth:CertainSpecialImmigrants:7.1%oftheworldwidelevel.
Fifth:EmploymentCreation:7.1%oftheworldwidelevel,notlessthan3,000ofwhichreservedforinvestorsinatargetedrural
orhighunemploymentarea,and3,000setasideforinvestorsinregionalcentersbySec.610ofPub.L.102395.
A.APPLICATIONFINALACTIONDATESFOR
EMPLOYMENTBASEDPREFERENCECASES
Onthechartbelow,thelistingofadateforanyclassindicatesthattheclassisoversubscribed(seeparagraph1)"C"means
current,i.e.,numbersareauthorizedforissuancetoallqualifiedapplicantsand"U"meansunauthorized,i.e.,numbersarenot
authorizedforissuance.(NOTE:Numbersareauthorizedforissuanceonlyforapplicantswhoseprioritydateisearlierthanthe
finalactiondatelistedbelow.)
Employ
ment
based

AllCharge
ability
AreasExcept
ThoseListed

CHINA
mainland
born

ELSALVADOR
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS

INDIA

MEXICO

PHILIPPINES

1st

01JAN10

01JAN10

2nd

01FEB14

01JAN10

01FEB14

15NOV04

01FEB14

01FEB14

3rd

15MAR16

01JAN10

15MAR16

08NOV04

15MAR16

15MAY09

OtherWorkers

15MAR16

01JAN04

15MAR16

08NOV04

15MAR16

15MAY09

4th

01JAN10

01JAN10

01JAN10

CertainReligiousWorkers

01JAN10

01JAN10

01JAN10

5th
NonRegional
Center
(C5andT5)

15FEB14

5th
Regional
Center
(I5andR5)

15FEB14

*EmploymentThirdPreferenceOtherWorkersCategory:Section203(e)oftheNicaraguanandCentralAmericanReliefAct
(NACARA)passedbyCongressinNovember1997,asamendedbySection1(e)ofPub.L.105139,providesthatoncethe

EmploymentThirdPreferenceOtherWorker(EW)cutoffdatehasreachedtheprioritydateofthelatestEWpetitionapproved
priortoNovember19,1997,the10,000EWnumbersavailableforafiscalyeararetobereducedbyupto5,000annually
beginninginthefollowingfiscalyear.Thisreductionistobemadeforaslongasnecessarytooffsetadjustmentsunderthe
NACARAprogram.SincetheEWcutoffdatereachedNovember19,1997duringFiscalYear2001,thereductionintheEWannual
limitto5,000beganinFiscalYear2002.
B.DATESFORFILINGOFEMPLOYMENTBASED
VISAAPPLICATIONS
Thechartbelowreflectsdatesforfilingvisaapplicationswithinatimeframejustifyingimmediateactionintheapplicationprocess.
Applicantsforimmigrantvisaswhohaveaprioritydateearlierthantheapplicationdateinthechartmayassembleandsubmit
requireddocumentstotheDepartmentofStatesNationalVisaCenter,followingreceiptofnotificationfromtheNationalVisa
Centercontainingdetailedinstructions.Theapplicationdateforanoversubscribedcategoryistheprioritydateofthefirst
applicantwhocannotsubmitdocumentationtotheNationalVisaCenterforanimmigrantvisa.Ifacategoryisdesignated
current,allapplicantsintherelevantcategorymayfile,regardlessofprioritydate.
TheClistingindicatesthatthecategoryiscurrent,andthatapplicationsmaybefiledregardlessoftheapplicantsprioritydate.
Thelistingofadateforanycategoryindicatesthatonlyapplicantswithaprioritydatewhichisearlierthanthelisteddatemay
filetheirapplication.
Visitwww.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo forinformationonwhetherUSCIShasdeterminedthatthischartcanbeused(inlieuofthe
chartinparagraph5.A.)thismonthforfilingapplicationsforadjustmentofstatuswithUSCIS.

Employment
based

AllChargeability
AreasExcept
ThoseListed

CHINA
mainland
born

INDIA

MEXICO

PHILIPPINES

1st

2nd

01JUN13

01JUL09

3rd

01MAY15

01JUL05

01JAN13

OtherWorkers

01AUG09

01JUL05

01JAN13

4th

CertainReligiousWorkers

5th
NonRegional
Center
(C5andT5)

01MAY15

5th
Regional
Center
(I5andR5)

01MAY15

6.TheDepartmentofStatehasarecordedmessagewiththecutoffdateinformationforFinalApplicationActionwhichcanbe
heardat:(202)4857699.Thisrecordingisupdatedonoraboutthetenthofeachmonthwithinformationonfinalactiondates
forthefollowingmonth.
B.DIVERSITYIMMIGRANT(DV)CATEGORYFORTHEMONTH
OFAUGUST
Section203(c)oftheINAprovidesupto55,000immigrantvisaseachfiscalyeartopermitadditionalimmigrationopportunities
forpersonsfromcountrieswithlowadmissionsduringthepreviousfiveyears.TheNACARAstipulatesthatbeginningwithDV99,
andforaslongasnecessary,upto5,000ofthe55,000annuallyallocateddiversityvisaswillbemadeavailableforuseunderthe
NACARAprogram.ThisresultedinreductionoftheDV2016annuallimitto50,000.DVvisasaredividedamongsix
geographicregions.Noonecountrycanreceivemorethansevenpercentoftheavailablediversityvisasinanyoneyear.
ForAugust,immigrantnumbersintheDVcategoryareavailabletoqualifiedDV2016applicantschargeabletoallregions/eligible

countriesasfollows.Whenanallocationcutoffnumberisshown,visasareavailableonlyforapplicantswithDVregionallottery
ranknumbersBELOWthespecifiedallocationcutoffnumber:
Region

AllDVChargeabilityAreasExceptThoseListed
Separately

AFRICA

CURRENT

ASIA

CURRENT

Except:
Nepal:7,100

EUROPE

CURRENT

NORTHAMERICA
(BAHAMAS)

CURRENT

OCEANIA

CURRENT

SOUTHAMERICA,
andtheCARIBBEAN

CURRENT

EntitlementtoimmigrantstatusintheDVcategorylastsonlythroughtheendofthefiscal(visa)yearforwhichtheapplicantis
selectedinthelottery.TheyearofentitlementforallapplicantsregisteredfortheDV2016programendsasofSeptember30,
2016.DVvisasmaynotbeissuedtoDV2016applicantsafterthatdate.Similarly,spousesandchildrenaccompanyingor
followingtojoinDV2016principalsareonlyentitledtoderivativeDVstatusuntilSeptember30,2016.DVvisaavailability
throughtheveryendofFY2016cannotbetakenforgranted.NumberscouldbeexhaustedpriortoSeptember30.
C.THEDIVERSITY(DV)IMMIGRANTCATEGORYRANKCUTOFFS
WHICHWILLAPPLYINSEPTEMBER
ForSeptember,immigrantnumbersintheDVcategoryareavailabletoqualifiedDV2016applicantschargeabletoall
regions/eligiblecountriesasfollows.Whenanallocationcutoffnumberisshown,visasareavailableonlyforapplicantswithDV
regionallotteryranknumbersBELOWthespecifiedallocationcutoffnumber:

Region

AllDVChargeabilityAreasExceptThoseListed
Separately

AFRICA

CURRENT

ASIA

CURRENT

EUROPE

CURRENT

NORTHAMERICA
(BAHAMAS)

CURRENT

OCEANIA

CURRENT

SOUTHAMERICA,
andtheCARIBBEAN

CURRENT

D.OVERSUBSCRIPTIONOFTHEINDIAEMPLOYMENTBASED
FOURTH(E4)ANDCERTAINRELIGIOUSWORKERS(SR)
PREFERENCECATEGORIES
AsreaderswereadvisedintheMayVisaBulletinnumber92,therehasbeenextremelyhighdemandintheE4andSRcategories,
primarilyforJuvenileCourtDependentcasesfiledwithU.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServicesforadjustmentofstatus.
PursuanttotheImmigrationandNationalityAct,thishasnowrequiredtheimplementationofE4andSRApplicationFinalAction
DatesforIndia,whichhasreacheditspercountrylimit.ThisactionwillallowtheDepartmenttoholdworldwidenumberuse
withinthemaximumallowedundertheFY2016annuallimits.

TheIndiaE4andSRdateswillbecomeCURRENTforOctober.
E.OVERSUBSCRIPTIONOFTHECHINAANDINDIA
EMPLOYMENTBASEDFIRST(E1)PREFERENCECATEGORIES
ReaderswereadvisedinitemFoftheJulyVisaBulletinnumber94,thatitwouldbenecessarytoimposeadateforthesetwo
countriesnolaterthanSeptember.ThecontinuedhighlevelofdemandforE1numbersforUSCISadjustmentofstatus
applicantshasrequiredtheestablishmentofadateforAugust.Thishasbeendoneinanattempttoholdnumberusewithinthe
WorldwideE1annuallimit.TheE1dateforthesetwocountrieswillonceagainbecomeCURRENTforOctober,thefirstmonthof
fiscalyear2017.
F.OVERSUBSCRIPTIONOFTHEWORLDWIDE,ELSALVADOR,
GUATEMALA,HONDURAS,MEXICO,ANDPHILIPPINES
EMPLOYMENTBASEDSECOND(E2)PREFERENCECATEGORIES
ReaderswereadvisedinitemFoftheJulyVisaBulletinnumber94,thatitwaslikelythatadatewouldbeimposedby
September.ContinuedhighdemandfornumbersforUSCISadjustmentofstatusapplicantshasrequiredtheestablishmentofa
dateforAugust.ThisactionhasbeenrequiredtoholdnumberusewithintheWorldwideE2annuallimit.Thedateforthese
countrieswillonceagainbecomeCURRENTforOctober,thefirstmonthoffiscalyear2017.
G.VISAAVAILABILITY
NumberuseintheWorldwideF2AandF3preferencecategorieshasincreaseddramatically,andisquicklyapproachingthosefiscal
year2016annuallimits.Therefore,itmaybenecessarytoretrogressthosefinalapplicationdatesforthemonthofSeptember.
AnyretrogressionintheF2AandF3preferencecategorieswouldbetemporary,withthosedatesreturningtothelatestreached
duringFY2016whentheOctoberdatesareannounced
H.OBTAININGTHEMONTHLYVISABULLETIN
TobeplacedontheDepartmentofStatesEmailsubscriptionlistfortheVisaBulletin,pleasesendanEmailtothefollowingE
mailaddress:
listserv@calist.state.gov
andinthemessagebodytype:
SubscribeVisaBulletin
(example:SubscribeVisaBulletin)
ToberemovedfromtheDepartmentofStatesEmailsubscriptionlistfortheVisaBulletin,sendanemailmessagetothe
followingEmailaddress:
listserv@calist.state.gov
andinthemessagebodytype:SignoffVisaBulletin
TheDepartmentofStatealsohasavailablearecordedmessagewithvisafinalactiondateswhichcanbeheardat:(202)485
7699.Therecordingisnormallyupdatedon/aboutthe10thofeachmonthwithinformationoncutoffdatesforthefollowing
month.
ReadersmaysubmitquestionsregardingVisaBulletinrelateditemsbyEmailatthefollowingaddress:
VISABULLETIN@STATE.GOV
(ThisaddresscannotbeusedtosubscribetotheVisaBulletin.)
DepartmentofStatePublication9514
CA/VO:July11,2016

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