Here is my take on whats going on with INS:
Last November 1999, the commissioner and Reno announced that 500000 Green Card will
be issued in fiscal year 2000. This targeted number is not broken down by category; which
means that as long as 500000 Green Card are issued the agency will proclaim that it’s satisfied and
fulfilled the promise they made in November 1999. If you look at this figure from a historical
point of view, almost every fiscal year half of all Green Cards issued went to immediate relatives
of US citizens that are not limited by quota. The other two-third Green Cards issued went to
family members of Green Card holders. And, the rest was distributed among employment category,
refugee/asylum adjustment applications, and DV lottery winners.
To put this in perspective for the current fiscal year, 250000 Green Cards will go to US citizen relatives,
150000 will go to family members of Green Card holders, and the rest is distributed to the other categories
I mentions above. I was disturbed when I looked at employment category (which I have been waiting in
line forever). By law, 10000 refugees/asylum adjustment applicants are granted Green Card. And, 55000
Green Cards are given to DV lottery winners. A measly 35000 will be allotted to employment category.
Looking at the speed of processing for employment category, only TSC will use up a big chunk of the
allotted visas for this year.. And, looking at the trend of approval, the other service centers are approving
oldest priority dates (there are a lot of people with recent priority dates that are waiting for approval).
So, my conclusion is that INS has said they will issue 600000 Green Cards next fiscal year. This figure
reflects a normal speed of processing for INS looking at historical numbers (and this does not mean that
all the visa alloted for employment category will be issued). But, the bottom line is priority date will
become a significant factor. If INS does not process by priority dates, the unfairness and unjust treatment
of people like me waiting for years will continue (sorry to say it but it hurts to see one wait three-four
years at no fault of his/her mistake but others get to the promise land in two years). Its not FAIR!!!
Last November 1999, the commissioner and Reno announced that 500000 Green Card will
be issued in fiscal year 2000. This targeted number is not broken down by category; which
means that as long as 500000 Green Card are issued the agency will proclaim that it’s satisfied and
fulfilled the promise they made in November 1999. If you look at this figure from a historical
point of view, almost every fiscal year half of all Green Cards issued went to immediate relatives
of US citizens that are not limited by quota. The other two-third Green Cards issued went to
family members of Green Card holders. And, the rest was distributed among employment category,
refugee/asylum adjustment applications, and DV lottery winners.
To put this in perspective for the current fiscal year, 250000 Green Cards will go to US citizen relatives,
150000 will go to family members of Green Card holders, and the rest is distributed to the other categories
I mentions above. I was disturbed when I looked at employment category (which I have been waiting in
line forever). By law, 10000 refugees/asylum adjustment applicants are granted Green Card. And, 55000
Green Cards are given to DV lottery winners. A measly 35000 will be allotted to employment category.
Looking at the speed of processing for employment category, only TSC will use up a big chunk of the
allotted visas for this year.. And, looking at the trend of approval, the other service centers are approving
oldest priority dates (there are a lot of people with recent priority dates that are waiting for approval).
So, my conclusion is that INS has said they will issue 600000 Green Cards next fiscal year. This figure
reflects a normal speed of processing for INS looking at historical numbers (and this does not mean that
all the visa alloted for employment category will be issued). But, the bottom line is priority date will
become a significant factor. If INS does not process by priority dates, the unfairness and unjust treatment
of people like me waiting for years will continue (sorry to say it but it hurts to see one wait three-four
years at no fault of his/her mistake but others get to the promise land in two years). Its not FAIR!!!