March 2022 Visa Bulletin

From the bulletin:

This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during March for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.

Unless otherwise indicated on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website at www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo , individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with USCIS in the Department of Homeland Security must use the “Final Action Dates” charts below for determining when they can file such applications. When USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for the fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, USCIS will state on its website that applicants may instead use the “Dates for Filing Visa Applications” charts in this Bulletin.

1. Procedures for determining dates. Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; USCIS reports applicants for adjustment of status. Allocations in the charts below were made, to the extent possible, in chronological order of reported priority dates, for demand received by February 8th . If not all demand could be satisfied, the category or foreign state in which demand was excessive was deemed oversubscribed. The final action date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who could not be reached within the numerical limits. If it becomes necessary during the monthly allocation process to retrogress a final action date, supplemental requests for numbers will be honored only if the priority date falls within the new final action date announced in this bulletin. If at any time an annual limit were reached, it would be necessary to immediately make the preference category “unavailable”, and no further requests for numbers would be honored.

2. Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sets an annual minimum family-sponsored preference limit of 226,000. The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000. 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., 25,620. The dependent area limit is set at 2%, or 7,320.

3. 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, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES.

4. Section 203(a) of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of Family-sponsored immigrant visas as follows:

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

First : ( F1 ) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. 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, plus any unused first preference numbers:

A. ( F2A ) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;

B. ( F2B ) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents: 23% of the overall second preference limitation.

Third : ( F3 ) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.

Fourth : ( F4 ) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.

In plain words: “Unavailable” (“U”) means paused; “retrogress” means move back; “chargeability area” means country of birth; “final action date” means approval date; “date for filing” means filing date.

From the bulletin:

For April , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2022 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

50,000

Except: Egypt 12,500

ASIA

17,000

Except: Iran 6,100

Nepal 4,350

EUROPE

27,000

NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS)

10

OCEANIA

1,200

SOUTH AMERICA,

and the CARIBBEAN

1,300

In plain words: “chargeability area” means country of birth.

From the bulletin:

Division O, Title 1, Section 104 of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 extended the immigrant investor pilot program until June 30, 2021. No I5 or R5 visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases after June 30, 2021.

The final action dates for the I5 and R5 categories have been listed as “Unavailable” for March.

If there is legislative action extending this category for March, the final action dates would immediately become “Current” for March for all countries except China-mainland born I5 and R5, which would be subject to a November 22, 2015 final action date. It may also become necessary to establish a China-mainland born final action date and application filing date for the C5 and T5 categories as early as April to keep number use within the maximum allowed under the FY-2022 annual limits. In addition, if sufficient demand materializes in the Employment-based Fifth Preference category, corrective action may need to be taken in the India Employment-based Second Preference category, which would have utilized any otherwise unused numbers from the Employment-based Fifth Preference.

In plain words: “Current” (“C”) means open to everyone; “Unavailable” (“U”) means paused; “final action date” means approval date.

From the bulletin:

It has become necessary to retrogress the final action dates for Employment Fourth and Certain Religious Workers (SR) categories for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras in order to hold worldwide number use within the maximum allowed under the FY-2022 annual limits. This is a result of heavy applicant demand for numbers for Juvenile Court Dependent cases filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for adjustment of status. This situation will be continually monitored, and any necessary adjustments will be made accordingly.

In plain words: “retrogress” means move back; “final action date” means approval date.

From the bulletin:

H.R. 6119, “Further Extending Government Funding Act” extended the Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR) category until February 18, 2022. Pursuant to the continuing resolution, the non-minister special immigrant program expires on February 18, 2022. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight February 17, 2022. Visas issued prior to this date will only be issued with a validity date of February 17, 2022, and all individuals seeking admission as a non-minister special immigrant must be admitted (repeat, admitted) into the U.S. no later than midnight February 17, 2022.

The SR category is listed as “Unavailable” for all countries for March. If there is legislative action extending the category, it will become “Current” effective immediately for all countries except El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, which are subject to a May 1, 2017 final action date, and Mexico, which is subject to an April 1, 2020 final action date.

In plain words: “Current” (“C”) means open to everyone; “Unavailable” (“U”) means paused; “final action date” means approval date.