The Visa Bulletin is available at: http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_4328.html

NOTES ON IMMIGRANT VISA AVAILABILITY FROM EISBERG & BORDEAU, LLC

In recent years, many individuals have become aware of the annual numerical limitation on new H-1B non-immigrant visas. Fewer individuals are aware that there is also an annual numerical limitation on immigrant visas for individuals seeking permanent residency in the United States, which has lead to waiting lists in some categories for permanent residency. Although individuals already in the United States do not actually get an immigrant visa stamp in their passports, an immigrant visa number is assigned to their case before they get a green card. An immigrant visa is essentially the same thing as a “green card” or “permanent residency” card. Therefore, it is important that individuals in the permanent residency process understand the problems that have arisen in the context of the green card waiting lists, as explained below.

Under U.S. law, no more than 140,000 immigrant visas (i.e. green cards) can be gr