As I’ve noted in my previous posting, there have been no visa numbers for the employment-based 3rd preference category (EB-3) since May 2009 for beneficiaries from all countries around the world — including those from the Philippines.
Also, as I’ve mentioned in my previous posting, visa availability would come by the start of the immigration fiscal year, which begins on October 1, 2009.
The U.S. Department of State has recently released the Visa Bulletin for October 2009. The Visa Bulletin shows that EB-3 visas are available for Philippine-born applicants whose priority dates are earlier than the cut-off date of June 1, 2002. In other words — in the EB-3 category for October 2009 — only those with priority dates earlier than June 1, 2002 have available visas.
This is grim news to many EB-3 visa applicants waiting for their visa numbers. Many EB-3 applicants, especially registered nurses, have been waiting for their visa numbers for years.
No doubt, this visa situation has caused frustration and anxiety among EB-3 visa applicants. They couldn’t do anything except to wait in queue for their visa numbers. For some, it’s a waiting game that seems endless. And for many, the dream to immigrate to the United States is hamstrung by the slow pace of visa movement or visa unavailability.
0 Responses to “An Update on the EB-3 Visas”