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.


Family

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Categories   Worldwide     INDIA      MEXICO      PHILIPPINES



1st           01MAR99     01MAR99        U          15SEP88

2A*           22OCT96	  22OCT96     22OCT94       22OCT96

2B            08JUL93	  08JUL93     22OCT91       08JUL93

3rd           08MAY96     08MAY96     01JUL92       01MAY88

4th           01JAN90	  15DEC88     01JAN90       15DEC79





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*NOTE: For January, 2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 22OCT94. 2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 22OCT94 and earlier than 01OCT96. (All 2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit; there are no 2A numbers for MEXICO subject to per-country limit.)

B) 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% of the worldwide level.

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

Employment		

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Categories	Worldwide   INDIA     MEXICO       PHILIPPINES



1st		   C          C	        C               C	               

2nd		   C          C         C               C	            

3rd		   C          C         C               C	                

Other Workers	   C          C         C               C	            

4th		   C          C         C	        C	             

Religious	   C	      C	        C               C		    

5th		   C	      C		C	        C	               

Targeted Emp	   C	      C		C	        C	             

Areas/Regional Centers

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

China-mainland born is no longer considered to be "oversubscribed", since the cut-off dates listed in the "All chargeability areas except those listed" column apply in all visa categories. Therefore, the China-mainland born listing has been dropped from this cable and the monthly Visa Bulletin.

Legend:

C - CURRENT
U - Unavailable

C) DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY

Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides a maximum of up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit immigration opportunities for persons from countries other than the principal sources of current immigration to the United States. The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 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 reduction has resulted in the DV-2002 annual limit being reduced to 50,000. 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 FEBRUARY, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2002 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:

Region All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately

AFRICA AF 8,000 ASIA AS 6,825 Except: Bangladesh 2,675 EUROPE EU 8,100 NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) NA 8 OCEANIA OC 290 SOUTH AMERICA, SA 690 CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN

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-2002 program ends as of September 30, 2002. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2002 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2001 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2001. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2002 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30. Once all numbers provided by law for the DV-2002 program have been used, no further issuances will be possible.

D) ADVANCE NOTIFICATION OF THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN MARCH

For March, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2002 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 specilified cut-off number:

Region All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately

AFRICA AF 10,050 ASIA AS 7,100 Except: Bangladesh 3,250 EUROPE EU 10,150 NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) NA 8 OCEANIA OC 345 SOUTH AMERICA, SA 825 CENTRAL AMERICA & CARIBBEAN

E) RETROGRESSION OF MEXICO FAMILY FIRST PREFERENCE

Allocations in the Mexico Family First preference category are rapidly approaching the FY-2002 annual limit. Continued heavy applicant demand (particularly for adjustment of status cases at INS offices) is likely to require that this category become "Unavailable" beginning in February.

visit Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs: http://travel.state.gov

Svetlana Schreiber & Assoc., Co. L.P.A.
1370 Ontario St, Suite 1228
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
216-621-7292
Toll free: 866-203-9388