This column carries priority dates and other transitional information as taken from the U.S. State Depart­ment’s Visa Bulletin. The information below is from the Visa Bulletin for November 2006.

In the tables below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed. “Current” means that numbers are available for all qualified applicants. “Unavailable” means no numbers are available.

FAMILY PREFERENCEVISA DATES

Preference Dates for India

1st……………….April 22, 2001
2A……………….Sept. 1, 2001
2B……………….Feb. 1, 1997
3rd………………Nov. 15, 1998
4th………………Aug. 1, 1995

Note: For November, 2A numbers exempt from per-country limit are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than Dec. 1 1999. 2A numbers subject to per-country limits are available to applicants chargeable to all countries except Mexico with priority dates beginning Dec. 1, 1999 and earlier than Sept. 1 2001.

EMPLOYMENT-BASEDVISA DATES

Preference Dates for India

1st……………….Current
2nd……………….Jan. 1, 2003
3rd……………….April 22, 2001

Schedule A………….Oct. 1, 2005
Workers

Other………………May 1, 2001
Workers

4th………………. Current
Certain Current
Religious
Workers

5th ……………….Current
Targeted……………Current
Employment
Areas

The Department of State has a recorded message with visa availability information at: (202) 663-1541. This recording is updated in the middle of each month with cut-off dates for the following month.

Source: http://travel.state.gov/

Vandana Kumar is a publishing executive with a 36-year track record in the industry. She leads the India Currents Foundation as President and CEO. As a new immigrant, she co-founded India Currents magazine...