09/01/2016
Bulletin Visa Février & Mars 2016
cut-off dates for the following month.
B . DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY FOR THE MONTH
OF FEBRUARY
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 resulted in reduction of the DV-2016 annual limit 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-2016 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 17,200 Except:
Ethiopia: 16,100
ASIA 4,500 Except:
Nepal: 3,700
EUROPE 19,100
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)
5
OCEANIA 750
SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN
750
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-2016 program ends as of September 30, 2016. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2016 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2016 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2016. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2016 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 MARCH
For March , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2016 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 18,700
ASIA 4,900 Except:
Nepal: 4,350
EUROPE 20,800
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)
5
OCEANIA 850
SOUTH AMERICA,
and the CARIBBEAN
800
