• Family Immigration
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    • Removal of Conditions
    • K-3 Spouse Visas
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    • O-1 Extraordinary Ability
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• EB-1 & NIW
  • Extraordinary Ability
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• Study Programs
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Visa Bulletin

The Bureau of Consular Affairs within the Department of State controls the allocation of immigrant visa numbers each month. Only individuals with a priority date earlier than the posted cut-off dates for that month are eligible to have their permanent residence applications approved.

MANTLEWORKS.COM > NEWS > February 2008

March 2008 Visa Bulletin

D.Ray Mantle, February 12, 2008

Employment-Based Priority Dates

Priority dates for several employment-based categories jumped forward for March 2008, bringing the world-wide level (other than China, India and Mexico) for EB3 to January 1, 2005. EB2 India remains unavailable, and the EB3 cut-off date for India is at August 1, 2001. "Advancement of the cut-off dates at this time should prevent a situation later in the fiscal year where there are large amounts of numbers available but not enough time to use them. If the expected increase in CIS number use materializes, future cut-off date movements could slow or stop."

Family-Based Priority Dates

 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.