Number 56
Volume X
Washington, D.C
A. STATUTORY NUMBERS
This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during August for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.
Unless otherwise indicated on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website at www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo, individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with USCIS in the Department of Homeland Security must use the “Final Action Dates” charts below for determining when they can file such applications. When USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for the fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, USCIS will state on its website that applicants may instead use the “Dates for Filing Visa Applications” charts in this Bulletin.
1. Procedures for determining dates. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; USCIS reports applicants for adjustment of status. Allocations in the charts below were made, to the extent possible, in chronological order of reported priority dates, for demand received by July 8th. If not all demand could be satisfied, the category or foreign state in which demand was excessive was deemed oversubscribed. The final action date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who could not be reached within the numerical limits. If it becomes necessary during the monthly allocation process to retrogress a final action date, supplemental requests for numbers will be honored only if the priority date falls within the new final action date announced in this bulletin. If at any time an annual limit were reached, it would be necessary to immediately make the preference category “unavailable”, and no further requests for numbers would be honored.
2. Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sets an annual minimum family-sponsored preference limit of 226,000. The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000. Section 202 prescribes that the per-country limit for preference immigrants is set at 7% of the total annual family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits, i.e., 25,620. The dependent area limit is set at 2%, or 7,320.
3. INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition on behalf of each has been filed. Section 203(d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e) apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa demand exceeds the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas: CHINA-mainland born, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, INDIA, MEXICO, PHILIPPINES, and VIETNAM.
4. Section 203(a) of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of Family-sponsored immigrant visas as follows:
FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
First: (F1) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.
Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:
A. (F2A) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;
B. (F2B) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents: 23% of the overall second preference limitation.
Third: (F3) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.
Fourth: (F4) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.
A. FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES
On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); "C" means current, i.e., numbers are authorized for issuance to all qualified applicants; and "U" means unauthorized, i.e., numbers are not authorized for issuance. (NOTE: Numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the final action date listed below.)
Family-
Sponsored All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those ListedCHINA-mainland
bornINDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES F122NOV1422NOV1422NOV1401JAN9901MAR12F2ACCCCCF2B22SEP1522SEP1522SEP1501MAR0022OCT11F308NOV0808NOV0808NOV0822APR9708JUN02F401MAR0701MAR0701SEP0522JAN9908AUG0222MAR0522MAR0522DEC1001FEB1601FEB16
B. DATES FOR FILING FAMILY-SPONSORED VISA APPLICATIONS
The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart below may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa. If a category is designated “current,” all applicants in the relevant category may file applications, regardless of priority date.
The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and that applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date which is earlier than the listed date may file their application.
Visit www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for information on whether USCIS has determined that this chart can be used (in lieu of the chart in paragraph 4.A.) this month for filing applications for adjustment of status with USCIS.
Family-
Sponsored All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those ListedCHINA-
mainland
bornINDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINES F115MAY1615MAY1615MAY1601AUG0022APR15F2A01JUN2101JUN2101JUN2101JUN2101JUN21F2B22SEP1622SEP1622SEP1608AUG0001OCT13F322AUG0922AUG0922AUG0908SEP0001OCT03F401OCT0701OCT0701DEC0508MAY9901FEB04
5. Section 203(b) of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of Employment-based immigrant visas as follows:
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES
First: Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.
Second: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.
Third: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, of which not more than 10,000 may be provided to "*Other Workers".
Fourth: Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.
Fifth: Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which are reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 are set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of Pub. L. 102-395.
A. FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES
On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); "C" means current, i.e., numbers are authorized for issuance to all qualified applicants; and "U" means unauthorized, i.e., numbers are not authorized for issuance. (NOTE: Numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the final action date listed below.)
Employment-
basedAll Chargeability
Areas Except
Those ListedCHINA-
mainland
bornEL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
HONDURASINDIAMEXICOPHILIPPINESVIETNAM1stCCCCCCC2ndC01APR18C01JUN11CCC3rdC08JAN19C01JUL13CCCOther WorkersC01JAN10C01JUL13CCC4thCC01JAN19C01FEB20CCCertain Religious WorkersCC01JAN19C01FEB20CC5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)C15NOV15CCCCC5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)UUUUUUU
*Employment Third Preference Other Workers Category: Section 203(e) of the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997, as amended by Section 1(e) of Pub. L. 105-139, provides that once the Employment Third Preference Other Worker (EW) cut-off date has reached the priority date of the latest EW petition approved prior to November 19, 1997, the 10,000 EW numbers available for a fiscal year are to be reduced by up to 5,000 annually beginning in the following fiscal year. This reduction is to be made for as long as necessary to offset adjustments under the NACARA program. Since the EW final action date reached November 19, 1997 during Fiscal Year 2001, the reduction in the EW annual limit to 5,000 began in Fiscal Year 2002. For Fiscal Year 2021 this reduction will be limited to approximately 150.
B. DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA APPLICATIONS
The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a timeframe justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa. If a category is designated “current,” all applicants in the relevant category may file, regardless of priority date.
The “C” listing indicates that the category is current, and that applications may be filed regardless of the applicant’s priority date. The listing of a date for any category indicates that only applicants with a priority date which is earlier than the listed date may file their application.
Visit www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo for information on whether USCIS has determined that this chart can be used (in lieu of the chart in paragraph 5.A.) this month for filing applications for adjustment of status with USCIS.
Employment-
basedAll Chargeability
Areas Except
Those ListedCHINA-
mainland
bornEL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
HONDURASINDIAMEXICO PHILIPPINES 1stCCCCCC2ndC01JUL18C01DEC11 CC3rdC01JUL19C01FEB14CCOther WorkersC01MAY10C01FEB14CC4thCC01MAR19CCCCertain Religious WorkersCC01MAR19CCC5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)C15DEC15CCCC5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)C15DEC15CCCC
6. The Department of State has a recorded message with the Final Action date information which can be heard at: (202) 485-7699. This recording is updated on or about the seventeenth of each month with information on final action dates for the following month.
B. DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST
Section 203(c) of the INA provides up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit additional immigration opportunities for persons from countries with low admissions during the previous five years. The NACARA stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program. This will result in reduction of the DV-2021 annual limit to approximately 54,850. DV visas are divided among six geographic regions. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.
For August, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2021 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:
RegionAll DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed SeparatelyAFRICACURRENTASIACURRENT
EUROPECURRENTNORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) CURRENTOCEANIACURRENTSOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEANCURRENT
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-2021 program ends as of September 30, 2021. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2021 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2021 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2021. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2021 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.
C. THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN SEPTEMBER
For September, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2021 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:
RegionAll DV Chargeability Areas Except
Those Listed SeparatelyAFRICACURRENTASIACURRENTEUROPECURRENTNORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) CURRENTOCEANIACURRENTSOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEANCURRENT
D. EXPIRATION OF THE EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIFTH PREFERENCE I5 and R5 REGIONAL CENTER VISA CATEGORIES
Division O, Title 1, Section 104 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 extended the immigrant investor pilot program until June 30, 2021. No I5 or R5 visas may be issued overseas or final action taken on adjustment of status cases after June 30, 2021.
The final action dates for the I5 and R5 categories have been listed as “Unavailable” for August.
If there is legislative action extending this category for August, the final action dates would immediately become “Current” for August for all countries except China-mainland born I5 and R5, which would be subject to a November 15, 2015 final action date.
E. FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON VISA PROCESSING AT U.S. EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, PLEASE VISIT THE BUREAU OF CONSULAR AFFAIRS WEBSITE AT TRAVEL.STATE.GOV
F. @TRAVELGOV BEGINS HOSTING MONTHLY YOUTUBE LIVE “CHATS WITH CHARLIE”
@TravelGov will be hosting "Chats with Charlie" on our YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/user/TravelGov) to discuss information provided in the monthly Visa Bulletin. This month's chat is scheduled to take place on July 19, 2021 at 1:00 p.m. EST to discuss the August Visa Bulletin. Questions can be emailed to VisaBulletin@state.gov ahead of the event with "Chat with Charlie Question" in the subject line. Questions will also be taken via the YouTube Live Chat and will be answered in real-time. The event is intended to address issues of general interest related to the content of the Visa Bulletin, and no policy, case, or post specific questions will be accepted.
G. DIVERSITY VISA LOTTERY 2022 (DV-2022) RESULTS
The Kentucky Consular Center in Williamsburg, Kentucky has registered and notified the winners of the DV-2021 diversity lottery. The diversity lottery was conducted under the terms of section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act and makes available *55,000 permanent resident visas annually to persons from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Approximately 119,021 applicants have been registered and notified and may now make an application for an immigrant visa. Since it is likely that some of the first *55,000 persons registered will not pursue their cases to visa issuance, this larger figure should ensure that all DV-2022 numbers will be used during fiscal year 2022 (October 1, 2021 until September 30, 2022).
Applicants registered for the DV-2022 program were selected at random from 7,336,302 qualified entries (13,191,296 with derivatives) received during the 35-day application period that ran from noon, Eastern Daylight Time on Wednesday, October 7, 2020, until noon, Eastern Daylight Time on Tuesday, November 10, 2020. The visas have been apportioned among six geographic regions with a maximum of seven percent available to persons born in any single country. During the visa interview, principal applicants must provide proof of a high school education or its equivalent, or show two years of work experience in an occupation that requires at least two years of training or experience within the past five years. Those selected will need to act on their immigrant visa applications quickly. Applicants should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete the information requested.
Registrants living legally in the United States who wish to apply for adjustment of their status must contact U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for information on the requirements and procedures. Once the total *55,000 visa numbers have been used, the program for fiscal year 2022 will end. Selected applicants who do not receive visas by September 30, 2022 will derive no further benefit from their DV-2022 registration. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2022 principal applicants are only entitled to derivative diversity visa status until September 30, 2022.
Dates for the DV-2023 program registration period will be widely publicized in the coming months. Those interested in entering the DV-2023 program should check the Department of State’s Visa web page in the coming months.
*The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulated that up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas be made available for use under the NACARA program. This will result in reduction of the DV-2022 annual limit to approximately 54,850.
The following is the statistical breakdown by foreign state of chargeability of those registered for the DV-2022 program:
AFRICA
ALGERIA 6,001
ESWATINI 1
MOZAMBIQUE 2
ANGOLA 855
ETHIOPIA 2,988
NAMIBIA 9
BENIN 735
GABON 66
NIGER 49
BOTSWANA 4
GAMBIA, THE 77
RWANDA 983
BURKINA FASO 72
GHANA 3,145
SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE 4
BURUNDI 390
GUINEA 672
SENEGAL 277
CABO VERDE 12
GUINEA-BISSAU 15
SEYCHELLES 7
CAMEROON 2,656
KENYA 2,882
SIERRA LEONE 271
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC 21
LESOTHO 8
SOMALIA 435
CHAD 231
LIBERIA 1,417
SOUTH AFRICA 497
COMOROS 10
LIBYA 311
SOUTH SUDAN 75
CONGO, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE 3,347
MADAGASCAR 19
SUDAN 6,001
CONGO, REPUBLIC OF THE 574
MALAWI 22
TANZANIA 103
COTE D’IVOIRE 597
MALI 74
TOGO 1,119
DJIBOUTI 187
MAURITANIA 158
TUNISIA 203
EGYPT 6,005
MAURITIUS 12
UGANDA 722
EQUATORIAL GUINEA 3
MOROCCO 4,138
ZAMBIA 56
ERITREA 261
Western Sahara 2
ZIMBABWE 222
ASIA
AFGHANISTAN 3,410
JORDAN 917
SAUDI ARABIA 944
BAHRAIN 15
KOREA, NORTH 0
SINGAPORE 19
BHUTAN 114
KUWAIT 222
SRI LANKA 838
BRUNEI 2
LAOS 22
SYRIA 483
BURMA 561
LEBANON 320
TAIWAN 574
CAMBODIA 1,094
MALAYSIA 44
THAILAND 186
INDONESIA 218
MALDIVES 2
TIMOR-LESTE 0
IRAN 5,739
MONGOLIA 293
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES 275
IRAQ 1,512
NEPAL 3,802
YEMEN 1,561
ISRAEL 207
OMAN 27
JAPAN 510
QATAR 90
EUROPE
ALBANIA 2,756
GREECE 42
NORTHERN IRELAND 3
ANDORRA 0
HUNGARY 100
NORWAY 10
ARMENIA 2,066
ICELAND 8
POLAND 355
AUSTRIA 36
IRELAND 24
PORTUGAL 20
AZERBAIJAN 919
ITALY 324
Macau 2
BELARUS 1,808
KAZAKHSTAN 1,978
ROMANIA 264
BELGIUM 35
KOSOVO 334
RUSSIA 6,001
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA 67
KYRGYZSTAN 1,993
SERBIA 214
BULGARIA 220
LATVIA 43
SLOVAKIA 24
CROATIA 21
LIECHTENSTEIN 0
SLOVENIA 10
CYPRUS 10
LITHUANIA 110
SPAIN 184
CZECH REPUBLIC 27
LUXEMBOURG 3
SWEDEN 32
DENMARK 15
MALTA 0
SWITZERLAND 31
ESTONIA 24
MOLDOOVA 798
TAJIKISTAN 2,122
FINLAND 28
MONACO 0
TURKEY 2,526
FRANCE 205
MONTENEGRO 48
TURKMENISTAN 745
Saint Martin 5
NETHERLANDS 34
UKRAINE 4,949
GEORGIA 1,604
Sint Maarten 2
UZBEKISTAN 6,001
GERMANY 526NORTH MACEDONIA 293VATICAN CITY 0
NORTH AMERICA
BAHAMAS, THE 16
OCEANIA
AUSTRALIA 1,031
MARSHALL ISLANDS 2
PALAU 30
Christmas Island 6
MICRONESIA, FEDERATED
STATES OF 4
SAMOA 5
Cocos Keeling Islands 2
NAURU 9
SOLOMON ISLANDS 11
Norfolk Island 6NEW ZEALAND 248TONGA 133
FIJI 950
Cook Islands 19
TUVALU 4
KIRIBATI 11
PAPUA NEW GUINEA 26
VANUATU 4
SOUTH AMERICA
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA 0
DOMINICA 3
SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS 0
ARGENTINA 146
ECUADOR 249
SAINT LUCIA 3
BARBADOS 0
GRENADA 0
SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES 0
BELIZE 0
GUYANA 5
SURINAME 4
BOLIVIA 38
NICARAGUA 18
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 26
CHILE 24
PANAMA 4
URUGUAY 0
COSTA RICA 8
PARAGUAY 0VENEZUELA 1,800
CUBA 975
PERU 198
Natives of the following countries were not eligible to participate in DV-2022: Bangladesh, Brazil, Canada, China (including Hong Kong SAR), Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, United Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent territories, and Vietnam.
H. OBTAINING THE MONTHLY VISA BULLETIN
To be placed on the Department of State’s E-mail subscription list for the “Visa Bulletin”, please send an E-mail to the following E-mail address:
and in the message body type:
Subscribe Visa-Bulletin
(example: Subscribe Visa-Bulletin)
To be removed from the Department of State’s E-mail subscription list for the “Visa Bulletin”, send an e-mail message to the following E-mail address:
and in the message body type: Signoff Visa-Bulletin
The Department of State also has available a recorded message with visa final action dates which can be heard at: (202) 485-7699. The recording is normally updated on/about the 17th of each month with information on final action dates for the following month.
Readers may submit questions regarding Visa Bulletin related items by E-mail at the following address:
(This address cannot be used to subscribe to the Visa Bulletin.)
Department of State Publication 9514
CA/VO: July 8, 2021