Additional Points About the April 2009 Visa Bulletin and EB-3

We wrote last week about the April 2009 Visa Bulletin and the significant retrogression of the visa numbers in EB-3 Rest of World (ROW) category.  It is important to note that the April 2009 Visa Bulletin retrogression for EB-3 will be applied immediately, as opposed to as of April 1, 2009 (see last sentence of Item A, paragraph 1 of the April 2009 Visa Bulletin).

Also, Charles Oppenheim of the State Department has indicated that further retrogression or “unavailability” at any time cannot be ruled out.” As a result, it is highly unlikely the EB-3 category will remain available in the near future. Further retrogression or “unavailability” may occur at any time.   As a result, immigrant visas can be issued by consular posts at interviews this month only if the consular post has obtained the visa number prior to the announcement of the cut-off. Additionally, USCIS will not approve any adjustments in the EB-3 category with cutoff dates before May 1, 2005, unless the visa number already had been assigned.