Subject: INS cable text and no visa number

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 22 Mar 94 09:51:42 CST

The visa number for lads is FREEZING. But information from different 
INS reported here are not consistent. For example, some say no visa 
number 'till next year, some say 'till this April, and some others. 

It is very clear that INS's have no visa number NOW as of March 17. 
The question we want to know now should be: 

    	How long will we wait until the next visa number available?

We have to find out WHY INS do not have visa number available for lads now. 
The answers could be:

1) all the china EB3 quota have gone for the year 1993.
2) they have a percentage for the visa number that they can use in each 
   month at each local INS location and they've used up March's allowable 
   visa nubmers for lads.
3) some other reasons.

The clue could be in what the INS officers had told those lads who got 
interviewed on March 17, 18.  The more cases we have, the better we can 
guess.

I happen to have a copy of INS cable of March 16. This is a xerox copy 
of the cable that Buffalo, NY, INS officer gave a lad after the interview 
on March 17. (she did not get a visa number on that day neither, by the 
way.) The full text is at the end of this message. I'm calling for 
further discussion. From the cable, it looks like the current number 
freeze applies at least to both March and April.

Since the INS cable was issued on March 16, it should not be suprised 
that those lads who had interviewed week(s) before March 16 got 
approval stamps. 

It is a general pratice that INS will issue interview letters only when 
they know or at least are anticipating any available visa numbers. I 
would say that no interview letters will be issued to lads for a while 
from now on, because there are no visa numbers for lads now. So if there 
are any interview letters in April or May or even later month would be 
good sign of lifting. Please keep each other informed on this matter. 

One thing to remind: You should considered yourself being a PR ONLY
if you got the stamps or the approval letter. Passing the interview 
itself only means they CAN give your a visa nubmer (which is a PR). 
But when there is no visa number available after the interview, you are 
still not a PR yet. (It IS confusion because it usually doesn't work that 
way.) This is important for those who currently have a job on working 
permission and with F,J-2 etc. visa. 

Full text of INS cable of March 16 follows. Please note that the letter 
format, and ALL the capitals and underlines are original.
=========================================================================
        
    	             IMPORTANT CHINA E3 NEWS FLASH

    					United States Department of State

    					Washington, D.C. 20520

    					March 16, 1994

TO:		INS SECTION 245 ADJUDICTIONS UNITS

FROM:		Visa Office -  IMMIGRATION VISA CONTROL

SUBJECT:	CHINA-mainland born EMPLOYMENT THIRD PREFERENCE
    		VISA NUMBER AVAILABILITY

REF:		VO'S Notice of March 14, 1994

Notwithstanding the cut-off dates in the March and April visa Bulletins, 

as of opening of business on Thursday, March 17, CHINA E3 NUMBERS MAY ONLY 
                                                 ------------------------
BE ALLOCATED TO APPLICANTS WITH PRIORITY DATES EARLIER THAN JULY 1, 1993.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please note that the information above concerns CHINA E39 and E30 

applicants; it does not concern CSPA principals being adjudicated in the 
                    ---
EC6 category.

CHINA E3 applicants with a priority date earlier than July 1, 1993 may 
                                         -------
be alllocated numbers.