Subject: May visa bulletin

From: Larry <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 16 Apr 94 21:30:51 CDT

Hi everybody,

Following is the visa bulletin for May from the State Department.
Let's pray for luck.

Larry

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

IMMIGRANT NUMBERS FOR MAY 1994

A.  STATUTORY NUMBERS

1.  This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during
May.  Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State
documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; the
Immigration and Naturalization Service reports applicants for adjustment of
status.  Allocations were made, to the extent possible under the numerical
limitations, for the demand received by April 7th in the chronological
order of the reported priority dates.  If the demand could not be satisfied
within the statutory or regulatory limits, the category or foreign state in
which demand was excessive was deemed oversubscribed.  The cut-off date for
an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who
could not be reached within the numerical limits.  Only applicants who have
a priority date earlier than the cut-off date may be allotted a number.
Immediately that it becomes necessary during the monthly allocation process
to retrogress a cut-off date, supplemental requests for numbers will be
honored only if the priority date falls within the new cut-off date.

2.  The fiscal year 1994 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants
determined in accordance with Section 201 of the Immigration and
Nationality Act (INA) is 226,000.  The fiscal year 1994 limit for
employment-based preference immigrants calculated under INA 201 is 143,213.
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., 27,845 for FY 1994.  The dependent area limit is
set at 2%, or 7,384.  Effective with FY-1994, the 7% per-country limit
applies to Hong Kong.

3.  Section 203 of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of
immigrant visas as follows:

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

First:  Unmarried Sons and Daughters of 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, and any unused first
preference numbers:

A.  Spouses and Children:  77% of the overall second preference limitation,
of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;

B.  Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older):  23% of the
overall second preference limitation.

Third:  Married Sons and Daughters of Citizens:  23,400, plus any numbers
not required by first and second preferences.

Fourth:  Brothers and Sisters of Adult Citizens:  65,000, plus any numbers
not required by first three preferences.

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, not more than 10,000 of which to "Other Workers".

Fourth:  Certain Special Immigrants:  7.1%, not more than 5,000 of which to
the Religious Workers described in INA Section 101(a)(27)(C)(ii)(II) and
(III).

Fifth:  Employment Creation:  7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than
3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targetted rural or
high-unemployment area, and 300 set aside for investors in regional centers
by Sec. 610 of P.L. 102-395.

4.  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 in 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,
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES.

5.  SPOUSES AND CHILDREN OF LEGALIZATION BENEFICIARIES:  Section 112 of the
Immigration Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-649) provides 55,000 immigrant visas
during each of fiscal years 1992, 1993 and 1994 to spouses and children of
persons legalized under the three programs established by the Immigration
Reform and Control Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-603).  The total available for each
fiscal year must be reduced, however, by the extent to which immediate
relative immigration in the previous year exceeds 239,000.  The FY 1994
limit has been set under the law at 32,776.  (This category is indicated
below by the symbol "LB".)

6.  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 available for all qualified applicants; and "U" means
unavailable, i.e., no numbers are available.  (NOTE:  Numbers are available
only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date
listed below.)

PREFERENCES
         All Charge-
         ability Areas  CHINA-
         Except Those   mainland   DOMINICAN
         Listed         born       REPUBLIC   INDIA    MEXICO   PHILIPPINES
Family

1st          C            C           C         C      01MAY93    12SEP85

2A*       01AUG91      01AUG91     01AUG91   01AUG91   24JUL91    01AUG91

LB*       01AUG91      01AUG91     01AUG91   01AUG91   01AUG91    01AUG91

2B        22NOV89      22NOV89     22AUG89   22NOV89   22NOV89    22OCT87

3rd       15MAR92      15MAR92     15MAR92   15MAR92   15JAN86    01JUN83

4th       22NOV84      22NOV84     22NOV84   17MAR83   01NOV82    20JUN77

*NOTE:  For MAY, 2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are available to
applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 24JUL91.  2A
numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable
to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 24JUL91 and
earlier than 01AUG91.  (2A numbers subject to per-country limit are
"unavailable" for applican ts chargeable to MEXICO.)  Applicants qualified
for the "LB" (Spouse/Child of Legalization Beneficiary) category whose
priority date does not permit allocation of a "2A" number under the 2A
cut-off dates above are eligible for an "LB" number as long as their
priority date is earlier than 01AUG91.

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

1st             C              C          C        C       C         C

2nd             C              C          C        C       C         C

3rd             C           01JUL93       C        C       C      22AUG92

  Other      15APR88       15APR88     15APR88  15APR88 15APR88   15APR88
    Workers

4th             C              C          C        C       C      22FEB93

Certain         C              C          C        C       C      22FEB93
  Religious
  Workers

5th             C              C          C        C       C         C

Targeted        C              C          C        C       C         C
  Employment Areas/
  Regional Centers

Chinese Student Protection Act:C  (Applications for adjustment of
status under this legislation may be filed regardless of visa number
availability.)

The Department of State has available a recorded message with visa
availability information which can be heard at:  (area code 202) 663-1541.
This recording will be updated in the middle of each month with information
on cut-off dates for the following month.

B.  TRANSITION IMMIGRANT (AA-1) CATEGORY FOR NATIVES OF CERTAIN "ADVERSELY
    AFFECTED" FOREIGN STATES

Section 132 of the Immigration Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-649) provides 40,000
immigrant visas during each of fiscal years 1992, 1993 and 1994 for natives
of certain countries which had been identified as "adversely affected" for
purposes of the "NP-5" immigrant program established under Section 314 of
the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (P.L. 99-603).  At least 40
percent of AA-1 numbers are designated for natives of the country which
received the greatest number of visas under the NP-5 program (i.e.,
Ireland).  Any numbers unused in fiscal year 1993 will be added to the
fiscal year 1994 limitation.

For May, immigrant numbers in the AA-1 category are available to qualified
applicants chargeable to IRELAND on a "CURRENT" basis.

For May, AA-1 numbers for ALL OTHER qualifying countries have been made
available to applicants with lottery rank numbers lower than:

                                16,000

AA-1 allocations for countries OTHER THAN Ireland may be "current" for June
and/or July.  It is very possible that all such AA-1 numbers could be used
as early as July, however.  If that happens, non-Ireland AA-1 numbers would
be "unavailable" for August and September.  Allocations for Ireland are
expected to remain "current" for the foreseeable future, but applicants
cannot take for granted that they will remain so through the end of
FY-1994.  Future AA-1 visa availability will depend entirely on the amount
of documentarily qualified applicants ready for visa numbers in each
particular month.  The AA-1 program expires on September 30, 1994, but AA-1
visa issuance could end even before that date if all numbers are used
sooner.  Registered applicants who do not obtain visas while numbers are
available will lose the benefit of their AA-1 registration.

All AA-1 cases should be brought to final action as expeditiously as
possible.  Applicants cannot assume that AA-1 numbers will be available
through the end of September.

C.  CHINA-mainland born Employment Third Preference Visa Availability

The visa cut-off date for the CHINA-mainland born Employment Third
Preference category, which had been July 2, 1993, has retrogressed one day
to July 1, 1993.  Only applicants with priority dates earlier than that
cut-off are currently eligible for visa number allocation.

This retrogression results from the very heavy demand for numbers by
CHINA-mainland born applicants (primarily at INS offices) entitled to
derivative status as "following-to-join" spouses/children of principals who
had adjusted status under the Chinese Student Protection Act (CSPA).  CSPA
principals are exempt from the per-country visa limit set by INA 202 and,
therefore, are not subject to the CHINA-mainland born cut-off date.
Following-to-join derivative applicants do not benefit from such
per-country limit exemption, however.  Those who come within the
CHINA-mainland born chargeability must be allocated numbers under that
Employment Third Preference limit.  The most common priority date for CSPA
applicants is July 1, 1993.  During the first two and a half weeks of
March, about 3,100 CHINA-mainland born Employment Third Preference numbers
were allocated to CSPA derivatives with July 1, 1993 priority dates, and
the numbers available for allocation to such cases were temporarily
exhausted.  The result has been the retrogression of the cut-off date.  It
is expected that this cut-off date may move forward again toward the end of
Fiscal Year 1994.  The heavy concentration of applicants with early July
1993 priority dates means that, for the foreseeable future, when advances
do occur they will be in small increments.

VISA BULLETIN SUBSCRIPTION AND CHANGE OF ADDRESS INFORMATION:  Additions or
changes to the mailing list should be sent to:  Visa Bulletin, Visa Office,
Department of State, Washington, D.C. 20522-0113.  Only addresses within
the U.S. postal system may be placed on the mailing list.  Please include a
recent mailing label when reporting changes or corrections of address; the
Postal Service does NOT automatically notify the Visa Office of address
changes.

Department of State Publication 9514
CA/VO:  April 7, 1994

IMMIGRANT VISA WAITING LIST IN THE FAMILY-SPONSORED AND EMPLOYMENT-BASED
PREFERENCES AS OF JANUARY l994

Most prospective immigrant visa applicants qualify for status under the law
on the basis of family relationships or employer sponsorship.  Entitlement
to visa processing in these classes is established ordinarily through
approval by the Immigration and Naturalization Service of a petition filed
on the applicant's behalf.  When such petitions are forwarded by INS to the
Department of State, applicants in categories subject to numerical limit
are registered on the visa waiting list by the office which is processing
the case.  Each case is assigned a priority (i.e., registration) date based
on the filing date accorded to the petition.  Visa issuance within each
numerically limited category is possible only if the applicant's place on
the waiting list has been reached, i.e., the case priority date is within
the visa availability dates published each month by the Department of
State.  Family and employment preference applicants compete for visa
numbers within their respective categories on a worldwide basis according
to priority date; a per-country limit on such preference immigrants set by
INA 202 places a maximum on the amount of visas which may be issued in a
single year to applicants from any one country, however.

The Department of State periodically asks consular offices at which
immigrant visa cases are registered (as well as the immigrant visa
processing center at Rosslyn, Virginia) to report the totals of applicants
on the waiting list in the various numerically-limited immigrant
categories.  Ordinarily such reports are submitted annually in January.
(Visa Bulletin No. 23B, Vol. VII, contained a summary of last year's
waiting list count.)

The figures below have been compiled from the reports submitted to the
Department in January 1994 and show the number of immigrant visa applicants
on the waiting list in the various preferences and sub- categories
established under the Immigration Act of 1990.  Provided for comparison are
totals prepared following the January 1993 tabulation.  All figures reflect
persons registered under each respective numerical limitation, i.e., the
totals represent not only principal applicants or petition beneficiaries,
but their spouses and children entitled to derivative status under INA
203(d) as well.

                 January l994 Totals                Increase/Decrease
                   (and % of total    January l993   From 1993 Totals
Category            registrants)         Totals     (and % of change)

Family Prefs.:

FAMILY FIRST          63,499 ( 1.8%)      54,779      +8,720 (+15.9%)
FAMILY SECOND
 Spouses/Children: 1,047,496 (29.0%)*    958,839*    +88,657 (+ 9.2%)
 Adult Sons/
  Daughters:         450,579 (12.5%)     391,816     +58,763 (+15.0%)
 Pref. Total       1,498,075 (41.5%)   1,350,655    +147,420 (+10.9%)
FAMILY THIRD         257,110 ( 7.1%)     218,121     +38,989 (+17.9%)
FAMILY FOURTH      1,643,463 (45.5%)   1,611,715     +31,748 (+ 2.0%)

FAMILY TOTAL       3,462,147 (95.9%)   3,235,270    +226,877 (+ 7.0%)

Employment Prefs.:

EMPL.  FIRST           8,315 ( 0.2%)       6,882      +1,433 (+20.8%)
EMPL.  SECOND         11,159 ( 0.3%)      18,682      -7,523 (-40.3%)
EMPL. THIRD
 Skilled Workers/
  Baccalaureate
  Degree Holders:     30,735 ( 0.9%)      32,813      -2,078 (- 6.3%)
 Other (i.e.,
  Unskilled)
  Workers:            94,348 ( 2.6%)      95,362      -1,014 (- 1.1%)
 Pref. Total         125,083 ( 3.5%)     128,175      -3,092 (- 2.4%)
EMPL. FOURTH           5,241 ( 0.1%)**     4,045**    +1,196 (+29.6%)
EMPL. FIFTH              176 (minimal)***    139***      +37 (+26.6%)

EMPL. TOTAL          149,974 ( 4.1%)     157,923      -7,949 (- 5.0%)

GRAND
TOTAL              3,612,121 (100.%)   3,393,193    +218,928 (+ 6.5%)

*of which, spouses/children of legalization beneficiaries:
 1994:  853,382 (81.5% of Family 2A total); 1993:  739,774 (77.2%
 of Family 2A total); increase over 1992 total: +113,608 (+15.4%)

**of which, certain religious workers in the classes established
  under the Immigration Act of 1990:  1994:  1,823; 1993:  1,510

***of which, investors in targetted employment areas:  1994:  76;
   1993:  17

Since the 1993 count, all of the family-sponsored preference totals have
increased, with the greatest addition in the second preference.  The growth
in registrations last year has been less than half the nearly half a
million increase between the 1992 and 1993 counts, however.  The single
greatest element in that increase was petition filing for spouses and
children by beneficiaries of the 1986 legalization programs, who had become
permanent residents of the United States by the early 1990s and were then
able to file second preference petitions.  Such petition filings seem to
have peaked in 1992, however.  The total family preference waiting list
this year is more than double what it was eight years ago.

The employment-sponsored preferences as a group show a decrease.  This is
not surprising, since the Labor Department has indicated that labor
certification filings have dropped over the past few years.  Further, with
visas now immediately available in most employment preference categories
(the "other worker" category being the one notable exception), qualified
applicants are able to proceed to prompt final acton on their cases and do
not need to spend an extended period on the waiting list.

Immigrant visa issuances during fiscal year 1994 are limited by the terms
of INA 201 to 226,000 in the family-sponsored preferences and to 143,213 in
the employment-based preferences.

It should by no means be assumed that once an applicant is registered on
the waiting list, the registration is then continually included in the
waiting list totals unless and until a visa is issued.  The consular
procedures mandate a regular culling of visa cases to remove from the count
those unlikely to see further action, so that totals are not unreasonably
inflated.  If, for example, a consular post receives no response within one
year from an applicant to whom the visa application instruction letter
(i.e., the consular "Packet 3" letter) is sent when the movement of the
visa availability cut-off date indicates a visa may become available within
a reasonable time frame, the case is considered "inactive" under the
consular procedures and is no longer included in waiting list totals.

The sixteen countries/areas with the highest number of waiting list
registrants are listed below; together these represent 82.1% of the total.
This list includes all countries with at least 40,000 persons on the
waiting list.  Last year the same sixteen were also at the top of the
listing by largest number of applicants, although the country order was a
bit different.  (The per-country limit in INA 202 sets an annual maximum on
the amount of preference visas which may be issued to applicants from any
one country; the 1994 per-country limit is 25,845.)

                                         1994 TOTAL     1993 TOTAL

                  MEXICO                   983,966        856,228
                  PHILIPPINES              568,552        494,580
                  INDIA                    260,188        258,646
                  CHINA-mainland born      192,291        188,533
                  VIETNAM                  158,493        101,085
                  CHINA-Taiwan born        113,388        117,838
                  KOREA                    108,869        124,355
                  DOMINICAN REPUBLIC       103,139         98,696
                  EL SALVADOR               91,799         95,093
                  HAITI                     68,563         64,816
                  JAMAICA                   64,352         67,992
                  HONG KONG                 62,638         65,342
                  PAKISTAN                  56,946         63,332
                  GUYANA                    46,640         45,504
                  POLAND                    43,023         42,661
                  GUATEMALA                 42,450         47,319

                  All Others               646,824        661,173

                  Worldwide Total        3,612,121      3,393,193

The greatest country increases in this year's count are reflected in the
figures for Mexico (where the additional registrations are primarily close
family members of legalization beneficiaries), Philippines (where several
family preferences show higher figures) and Vietnam (where an increase is
concentrated among siblings of U.S. citizens).  The totals for many
countries actually show a small decline.  Mexico registrations alone
account for about 57% of the net increase in this year's worldwide waiting
list total.

A breakdown of the worldwide waiting list by region is:

Fam. Prefs.       (% of   Empl. Prefs.    (% of   Total      (% of Total
                        Family               Empl.            Waiting
                        Total)               Total)            List)
Africa               63,606 ( 1.8%)      4,064 ( 2.7%)      67,670 ( 1.9%)
Asia              1,656,221 (47.8%)     63,685 (42.5%)   1,719,906 (47.6%)
Europe              122,713 ( 3.6%)     13,127 ( 8.7%)     135,840 ( 3.8%)
N. America*       1,450,492 (41.9%)     53,400 (35.6%)   1,503,892 (41.6%)
Oceania              16,035 ( 0.5%)        741 ( 0.5%)      16,776 ( 0.5%)
S. America          153,080 ( 4.4%)     14,957 (10.0%)     168,037 ( 4.6%)

Total             3,462,147 (100.%)    149,974 (100.%)   3,612,121 (100.%)

*North America includes Canada, Mexico, Central America and the
Caribbean.

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

Family FIRST Preference:

The worldwide Family FIRST preference numerical limitation is 23,400.
Visas are immediately available at present for applicants from all but two
countries (Philippines and Mexico) which are oversubscribed on account of
their heavy applicant demand.  Waiting list details are:

                         Fam. First      Percent of
		         Preference      Category
        Country/Area 	 Total           Waiting List

        PHILIPPINES       49,381           77.8%
        MEXICO	           3,980            6.3%
        Other Countries   10,138           15.9%

        Total	          63,499          100.0%

Under the terms of INA 202(e), immigrant numbers for oversubscribed
countries are prorated among the various preferences.  During FY 1994,
there will be 1,638 Family FIRST preference numbers for Philippines.  (This
compares to 4,000 numbers annually under the former terms of INA 202(e).)
For Philippines applicants, the cut-off date in this preference has
advanced only about two and a half months during the past year, and the
considerable visa demand in excess of the limit will permit very slow
movement as far as can be foreseen.  Philippines oversubscription has,
moreover, become considerably greater during the past year, with the
country total nearly 10,000 higher than a year ago.  (Cases are added to
the waiting list in this category not only by the approval of new FIRST
preference petitions, but also through automatic conversion of pending 2B
cases into FIRST preference upon the naturalization of the petitioner.)
For Mexico, where more FIRST preference visas are available because of the
fall-across to the category of unused Mexico employment preference numbers,
the oversubscription of this category is at present less severe.  For other
countries, the preference should remain "current" for the near term, but
the prospect of future oversubscription exists, particularly if large
quantities of Family 2B cases move into the category following
naturalization of petitioners.

Family SECOND Preference:

The total Family SECOND preference waiting list figure is 1,498,075.  Of
these, 1,047,496 (70%) are spouses and children of permanent residents of
the United States (the 2A class), and 450,579 (30%) are adult
sons/daughters of permanent residents (the 2B class).  The Family SECOND
preference waiting list has increased by 147,420 applicants in the past
year.  This is the greatest preference increase in terms of absolute
numbers, and represents 65% of the entire worldwide family preference
waiting list growth during the year.

The worldwide Family SECOND preference limit for FY 1994 is 114,200 plus
unused FIRST preference numbers; 77% of this total are provided to "2A"
spouses and children of permanent residents, while the remaining 23% go to
"2B" adult sons and daughters of permanent residents.

2A:  About 95,000 visa numbers are expected to be available to this
applicant class during FY 1994.  The countries with the highest 2A waiting
list totals are:

		         Family 2A       Percent of
		         Preference      Category
       Country/Area      Total           Waiting List

       MEXICO     	 717,085           68.5%
       EL SALVADOR	  40,359            3.8%
       HAITI         	  37,804            3.6%
       DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 31,637            3.0%
       INDIA              20,021            1.9%
       GUATEMALA	  18,785            1.8%
       PHILIPPINES	  16,988            1.6%
       PAKISTAN	          13,196            1.3%
       Other Countries   151,621           14.5%

       Total           1,047,496          100.0%

The 1990 Act has significantly added to the number of visas for the 2A
class (issuances during FY 1994 will be close to 50% more than would have
been possible under the former provisions of law), and has now virtually
equalized the visa waiting period for applicants from all countries.
(Previously, there had been substantially earlier cut-off dates for Mexico,
Philippines and Dominican Republic applicants.)  It is apparent, however,
that even with the greater visa availability, the large and rapidly growing
waiting list assures continued oversub- scription in the foreseeable
future, and the prospect of a lengthening delay between the filing of a
petition and the applicant's turn for visa issuance being reached.  Over
the past year, the visa availability cut-off date for this applicant class
advanced six months, and in view of the heavy concentration of applicants
with 1991 and 1992 priority dates, even slower movement in the months ahead
is likely.

As is clear from the section below, the major factor contributing to the
greatly increased Family 2A visa demand is the filing of petitions for
immediate family members by persons legalized under the terms of the
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, who began to be admitted to
permanent residence in large numbers during 1989.  (Leaving aside petitions
filed by legalization beneficiaries, the Family 2A waiting list total is
actually lower than a year ago.)  Mexico cases represent 60% of Family 2A
applicants with 1991 priority dates, 75% of 1992 registrations, and 71% of
1993 cases.)

Over the next few years, as the petitioners in 2A cases become eligible to
apply for naturalization, some may become citizens and thus pending 2A
petitions for their spouses and children would be converted automatically
into the immediate relative visa category, which is not subject to
numerical limit and for which, therefore, there is no waiting period.
There is potential for a possible, indeed probable, major increase in
immediate relative visas in coming years, therefore, with a corresponding
drop in the Family 2A waiting list.  It is not possible at present to
quantify this prospect, however.

Spouses and Children of Legalization Beneficiaries:  Separate and in
addition to the Family 2A preference limit, the Immigration Act of 1990
includes a transition provision which authorizes up to 55,000 visas in each
of FYs 1992, 1993 and 1994 for spouses and children of those permanent
residents who acquired status through the legalization programs established
under the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.  The 1994 numerical
limit calculated for this category is actually 32,776, under the offset
provision which factors last year's immediate relative immigration into the
determination.

Of the 1,047,496 applicants registered in the 2A category, 853,382 (81.5%)
have been identified as spouses and children of legalization beneficiaries,
and as such they are entitled to status this year under both the Family 2A
classification and this "LB" transition provision, with visa issuance
determined by the category in which a visa first becomes available for
their priority date.  Countries with the highest number of applicants
entitled to status under the transition provision are:

                           "LB" Cat.      Percent of
                           Applicant      Category
       Country/Area        Total          Waiting List

        MEXICO              675,626        79.2%
        EL SALVADOR          34,293         4.0%
        HAITI                26,277         3.1%
        GUATEMALA            15,689         1.8%
        INDIA                13,052         1.5%
        DOMINICAN REPUBLIC   10,645         1.3%
	Other Countries      77,800         9.1%

        Total               853,382       100.0%

Since persons from Mexico comprised about three-quarters of the
legalization beneficiaries, it is not surprising to find that most of the
spouses/children for whom such beneficiaries subsequently filed immigration
preference petitions are from that country.

Since 1992, the transition provision has helped to reduce the pressure on
the Family 2A category by providing additional visas for this major
applicant component.  The phase-out of the transition provision within a
few months will in effect reduce the annual visa issuance to spouses and
children of permanent residents, with the inevitable result an even slower
rate of advance in the Family 2A cut-off date.

2B:  Visa numbers for this class of adult sons and daughters are expected
to total about 28,500 during FY 1994, about one-third fewer than might have
been available under the former terms of the law.  The waiting list far
exceeds the annual limit.  Applicant totals are:

                          Family 2B          Percent of
                          Preference         Category
        Country/Area      Total              Waiting List

        MEXICO              84,067         18.7%
        DOMINICAN REPUBLIC  48,671         10.8%
        PHILIPPINES	    43,887          9.8%
        CHINA-mainland born 21,701          4.8%
        EL SALVADOR         20,429          4.5%
        JAMAICA             20,179          4.5%
        HAITI               18,489          4.1%
        INDIA               15,898          3.5%
        GUYANA              14,450          3.2%
        CHINA-Taiwan born   10,482          2.3%
        KOREA               10,457          2.3%
        Other Countries    141,869         31.5%

        Total              450,579        100.0%

The combination of the reduced numerical limit for this visa category under
the terms of the Immigration Act of 1990, and the growing applicant demand
indicated by the substantially greater waiting list (up more than 58,000 in
the past year) means slow movement of this visa cut-off date and an
increasingly long wait for a 2B visa.  The worldwide Family 2B cut-off date
has advanced only about six weeks during the past year and the pace of
movement is unlikely to increase very significantly in the foreseeable
future.

Family THIRD Preference:

The annual visa limit is 23,400 compared with 27,000 under the former
provisions of law.  Two oversubscribed countries (Philippines and Mexico)
have sufficiently heavy demand in this preference to require a cut-off date
earlier than the worldwide date.  Countries with highest registrations are:

                           Fam. Third	 Percent of
                           Preference    Category
        Country/Area 	   Total         Waiting List

        PHILIPPINES          143,987        56.0%
        MEXICO                35,373        13.8%
        POLAND                13,943         5.4%
        Other Countries       63,807        24.8%

        Total                257,110       100.0%

The Family THIRD preference waiting list grow by almost 39,000 (nearly 18%)
during the past year.  More than three-quarters of the increase was in the
Philippines; under the visa prorating provisions of INA 202(e), annual
issuances for that country are limited to 1,638, however.  The greater
applicant demand in this category makes likely a gradually lengthening wait
for a visa in the years ahead.

Family FOURTH Preference:

Applicants registered in the Family FOURTH preference total 1,643,463,
which is the largest single element of the waiting list.  Annual visa
issuances are limited to 65,000.  Because of the very heavy demand
concentrated in this preference, the wait for a visa is longer than in any
other category.  The countries listed below have the largest number of
FOURTH preference applicants:

                               Fam. Fourth        Percent of
                               Preference         Category
        Country/Area           Total              Waiting List

        PHILIPPINES              292,693           17.8%
        INDIA                    213,593           13.0%
        CHINA-mainland born      148,909            9.1%
        MEXICO                   136,592            8.3%
        VIETNAM                  130,760            7.9%
        CHINA-Taiwan born         95,119            5.8%
        KOREA                     77,247            4.7%
        HONG KONG                 52,648            3.2%
        PAKISTAN                  35,819            2.2%
        Other Countries          460,083           28.0%

        Total                   1,643,463         100.0%

Philippines and Vietnam had the most significant increases in this visa
category during the past year.  Many countries in fact showed a drop in
total Family FOURTH preference applicants.  Perhaps the steadily growing
waiting period, now approaching ten years for countries of most favorable
visa availability and even longer for some oversubscribed countries, is
discouraging new petition filing.  The huge waiting list assures that the
cut-off dates in this preference are likely to continue to move slowly.
Estimated FY 1994 Family FOURTH preference visa issuances under the
per-country limit for the three countries with the earliest cut-off dates
are:  Philippines 4,550; India 9,000; Mexico 6,500.  A comparison of these
figures with their waiting list totals illustrates the extent of
oversubscription and the inevitable very slow progress expected in the
cut-off dates.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES

The employment-based categories were extensively revised by the 1990 Act
and the numerical limits were considerably increased, from a total of
54,000 for the former third and sixth preferences to at least 140,000 for
the entire new series of employment preferences.  Before the provisions of
the 1990 Act took effect, the former third and sixth preferences had been
oversubscribed; for most countries, the Employment FIRST and SECOND
preferences and the skilled worker/professional segment of THIRD preference
became "current" in October 1991 and remain so.  With Employment preference
visas readily available for most qualified applicants (except for those in
the Other (i.e., Unskilled) Worker category) and with new labor
certification filings down in recent years, it is not surprising that the
Employment waiting list total has in fact declined since last year's count.
It is important to note that more than half of all Employment preference
immigrants are adjustment of status cases at INS offices.  Cases pending
with INS are not counted in the consular waiting list tally.  Thus, in
several Employment preference categories the waiting list understates the
actual immigrant demand.

Employment FIRST Preference:

As of January, registrations in this category were 8,315 against a FY 1994
limit of 40,959 (28.6% of 143,213), plus any unused numbers from the
Employment FOURTH and FIFTH preferences, which fall "up" to FIRST.  Visa
availability is "current" for all countries.  During FY 1993, 21,632
numbers were used in this preference; FY 1994 number use is likely to be
close to that figure, with about half of Employment FIRST preference
numbers falling to the SECOND preference.  The country with the largest
number of applicants currently on the FIRST preference waiting list is
Canada, with 1,152 (13.9% of the worldwide total).

Employment SECOND Preference:

The FY 1994 visa limit is 40,959 plus unused numbers from the FIRST
preference.  The waiting list as of January 1994 is down 40% from the
18,682 counted last year, and 66% from the 32,452 of January 1992.  The
totals in those years consisted primarily of former third preference cases
automatically carried into this category when the 1990 Act took effect.
The preference has been "current" for most countries since October 1991
and, with more visas issued than new petitions approved, the size of the
waiting list has diminished.  Consular registration figures show only three
countries with more than 1,000 applicants on the SECOND preference waiting
list:

                                Empl. Second      Percent of
                                Preference        Category
        Country/Area            Total             Waiting List

        PHILIPPINES               2,839              25.5%
        INDIA                     1,674	             15.0%
        CHINA-mainland born       1,020	              9.1%
        Other Countries           5,626              50.4%

        Total                    11,159             100.0%

This category is "current" at present for all chargeabilities.  The
preference is likely to remain "current" in the foreseeable future, with
total FY 1994 number use expected to be perhaps slightly more than half the
29,415 numbers used in FY 1993.

Employment THIRD Preference:

The preference is entitled to 28.6% of the 143,213 FY 1994 Employment
numbers, i.e., 40,959, plus the unused numbers from the category above.
INA 203(b)(3)(B) specifies that no more than 10,000 of these numbers may be
provided to applicants in the "Other (i.e., Unskilled) Worker" subcategory,
however.

The Employment THIRD preference waiting list components for "Skilled
Workers" (i.e., at least two years of training or experience required for
labor certification) and "Professionals with Baccalaureate Degree" total
30,735 (25% of all registrations in the preference), down by about 2,000
(6.3%) from last year's total.  Again, this is not surprising since the
category is "current" for all but two chargeabilities at the present time.
Countries with the highest number of such applicants are:

                               Empl. Third
                               Preference:        Percent of
                               Skilled Wkr/       Waiting List
                               Professional       in These
        Country/Area           Components         Classes

        PHILIPPINES               10,679           34.7%
        KOREA                      1,913            6.2%
        CHINA-mainland born        1,709            5.6%
        INDIA                      1,359            4.4%
        CHINA-Taiwan born          1,155            3.8%
        IRAN                         883            2.9%
        MEXICO                       831            2.7%
        CANADA                       758            2.5%
        Other Countries           11,448           37.2%

        Total                     30,735          100.0%

While the figures for most countries are lower this year than last, the
Philippines total has increased by more than 5,000.

Other Workers:  Applicants within this segment of the Employment THIRD
preference amount to 94,348, i.e., 63% of the entire Employment preference
waiting list, and about 75% of the THIRD preference total.  The figure
includes not just the workers themselves, but (as in all other preference
categories) derivative spouses and children as well, who are entitled to
the same status and order of consideration as the principal under INA
203(d).  As noted above, the annual limit set by law for issuances to this
component of THIRD preference is 10,000.  It is the one element within the
Employment preferences which has been consistently oversubscribed.  The
Other Worker applicant total has dropped by about 1,000 (1%) over the past
year, perhaps in part because the long wait for a visa in the category has
helped to discourage new cases.  Countries with the most registrations are:

                               Empl. Third        Percent of
                               Preference:        Waiting List
                               Other Worker       in This
        Country/Area           Component          Class

        EL SALVADOR             15,530             16.5%
        KOREA                   11,018             11.7%
        TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO      7,599              8.0%
        PHILIPPINES              6,332              6.7%
        GUATEMALA                5,679              6.0%
        MEXICO                   5,655              6.0%
        JAMAICA                  3,602              3.8%
        CHINA-mainland born      2,622              2.8%
        Other Countries         36,311             38.5%

        Total                   94,348            100.0%

The estimated total number use in the Employment THIRD preference during FY
1994 will probably be about 62,000.  (This includes about 12,000
adjustments of status for beneficiaries of the Chinese Student Protection
Act; the application period for benefits under the CSPA began on July 1,
1993 and will end on June 30, 1994.  CSPA cases, even though placed by law
within the worldwide Employment THIRD preference numerical limitation, are
processed by INS under special rules of entitlement, and are not reflected
in the waiting list figures.)  In view of the anticipated fall into this
preference of many thousands of numbers from above, visas can be expected
to remain "current" in the immediate future for most applicants within the
"Skilled Worker" and "Professional" components.

The notable exceptions are allocations for Philippines and China.
Philippines registrations are considerably in excess of the visas available
annually under the country limit; a slow-moving visa cut-off date is in
prospect for the foreseeable future.  In the China-mainland born
chargeability, several thousand spouses and children of Chinese Student
Protection Act beneficiaries are likely to "follow-to-join" the principals
in the year ahead; the added visa demand (not reflected in the waiting list
total above) is likely to assure continued oversubscription of China
Employment THIRD preference numbers for the immediate future.

In the "Other Worker" subcategory, where visa demand is already so much in
excess of the annual limit, slow forward movement of the cut-off date is
expected.

Employment FOURTH Preference:

The worldwide FY 1994 visa limit (7.1% of 143,213) is 10,168 in this
preference.  Only 5,241 applicants were counted in the January 1994 waiting
list tally, 1,823 of whom in the classes for "certain religious workers"
established under INA 101(a)(27)(C)(ii)(II) and (III).  Perhaps 6,400
immigrant numbers within this preference are expected to be used during FY
1994, about 2,300 of which for "certain religious workers".  (Note that
under the current terms of the INA, the visa provisions for "certain
religious workers" are due to expire as of September 30, 1994.)

The preference should remain "current" for applicants from all countries
other than Philippines.  Under prorating, the Philippines Employment FOURTH
preference is entitled to 712 numbers for FY 1994 and visa demand,
particularly from former U.S. government employees, is likely to remain in
excess of that limit.  The Philippines waiting list for this preference is
1,620 (30% of the worldwide total).  Any unused FOURTH preference numbers
fall up to Employment FIRST preference.

Employment FIFTH Preference:

The FY 1994 limit is 10,168.  There are 176 applicants currently registered
on the visa waiting list, 76 of whom are investors in "targetted areas".
The three chargeabilities with the greatest number of registrants
(China-Taiwan born:  62; China-mainland born:  33; and Hong Kong:  27)
together represent 69% of registrants.  (As noted above, cases being
processed by INS for adjustment of status are not included in the consular
waiting list count.)

During FY 1993, 596 Employment FIFTH preference numbers were used.  Visas
are available at present for all applicants; the current estimate is that
about 500 numbers will be used this year.  Any unused numbers from this
annual limit fall up to Employment FIRST preference.

---

From: "Q.Zhu from NYU at Fermilab (708)840-8383" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 17 Apr 94 11:34:48 CDT

Hi, everybody:

The number of visa granded to LADs is clear stated as 3100 by the State 
Department visa bulletin  as posted by 
Larry <[email-masked]>.

Although the cutoff date has retrogress to July 1,1993 from July 2, 1994,
we don't have to be pessimistic.

As it was estimated by IFCSS that there are about 8000 principales with LADs.
And it also said that about half of the LADs have 'out-of-status' problem.
Some applications with this  problem  were accepted and even got green cards
already  which depends on luck.
            
According to my earlier survey on the priority date distribution of LADs,
I concluded that 77% of LADS are with July 1, 1993 priority date.  So there
are 6200 LADs(with  July 1, 1993 priority date)  waiting for EB3 visa.
Subtractng the 3100 visa already granted, we know there are only about 3100
LADs are waiting for visa with July 1, 1993  priority date. Some of them may
not be eligible because of their 'out-of-status' problem. So it is very likely
that all the qualified LADs with July 1, 1993  priority date will get their
green card shortly after October, 1994 which is the beginning of 1995
fisical year. It isn't very clear if the LADs  with priority date later than
July 1, 1993 will get their green cards before October, 1995.  It depends on
how each INS office handles the 'out-of-status' problem. If most INS offices
are aware of this problem, most LADs with 'out-of-status' problem will be
rejected. Then it's likely that some LADs  with priority date later than 
July 1, 1993 will get their green cards also. Otherwise, they may have
to wait for the quota from 1996 Fisical year ---about one and half year 
from now.

Good luck to everybody!

Best regards,
Q.Zhu

---

From: [email-masked] (Mi Mi)
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 94 13:29:54 CDT

As for the out-of-status lads, they just can not adjust their status
in US. All the other benefits are just the same as those who are
in-status, such as the priority date. So, they are required to file 
I-824 to the regional centers, and get their GC from GuangZhou, and 
they are getting GC from GuangZhou NOW. 

Just a reminder,

Mi Mi Sr.

---

From: [email-masked] (Mi Mi)
Date: Mon, 18 Apr 94 14:46:37 CDT

Mi Mi Jr. has made great achievements since her arrival last December.
The first Report Card, covering December to January, showed almost
all the categories except math as "Fair", or "Need improvements". The 
second Report Card, covering then up to  March, has shown only in 
oral language and physical education as "satisfactory", all the others
are either "excellent" or "good". She has been nominated and put on 
the "Honor Roll" now. 

Mi Mi Sr.