Many Visa Number Cut-Off Dates Not Budging in November, State Dept. Says

The State Department’s Visa Bulletin for November 2009 notes that demand from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services offices has far exceeded earlier indications of cases eligible for immediate processing. As a result, the Department said, it has been necessary to hold most of the employment cut-off dates for November, and it is not possible to provide an estimate of future cut-off date movements.

Regarding the employment fourth preference “certain religious workers” category, the Visa Bulletin notes that the non-minister special immigrant program expires on October 30, 2009. No SR-1, SR-2, or SR-3 visas may be issued overseas on or after October 30, 2009. Visas issued before that date may only be issued with a validity date of October 30, 2009, and all individuals seeking admission as a non-minister special immigrant must be admitted into the U.S. no later than midnight on October 30, 2009.

Regarding the employment fifth preference pilot categories (I5, R5), the immigrant investor pilot program was extended through October 30, 2009. I5 and R5 visas may be issued until the close of business on October 30, 2009, and may be issued for the full validity period. No I5-1, I5-2, I5-3, R5-1, R5-2, or R5-3 visas may be issued after October 30, 2009.

The cut-off dates for the categories mentioned above have been listed as “Unavailable” for November. If there is legislative action extending one or both of these categories for fiscal year 2010, the Department said, those cut-off dates would become “Current” for November. As noted in article #2 above, Congress is about to extend those two categories for three years.