The State Department has provided some statistics about visa issuance for FY 2012, which covers up to the end of September this year. This set of statistics only shows approval numbers, not approval/denial rates, but the numbers do reveal some interesting facts.
Looking at the raw numbers for FY 2012, we see that the US Consulate in Saigon issued about 23,000 immigrant visas and 38,000 non-immigrant visas. Ninety-nine percent of the non-immigrant visas were for tourists, students and business visitors.
Going back ten years, we see 14,400 immigrant visas issued in 2003 for relatives of Vietnamese in America. The visa numbers increased to 23,600 for 2008. Then the financial crises pushed the total down to 20,000 visas, but there was a recovery resulting in a jump in visas to 27,000 for 2010 and 2011. The last two years show visa totals in the low twenty-thousands.
Logically, there should be increases every year, but there are other factors involved such as financial concerns, and the advancing age of family members in Vietnam, and the fact that some relatives have decided to remain in Vietnam rather than immigrate. However, Vietnam continues to be among the top ten immigrant visa issuing countries, getting 4% of the immigrant visas available for the whole world.
In 2012-2013, from the 24,000 immigrant visas issued in Vietnam, 8,500 visas went to the spouses, children or parents of US citizens. Fifteen thousand and five hundred visas went to other relatives of US citizens and permanent residents.
It was interesting to see that in the past year, 75 visas were issued for Amerasian Immigrants. That would include both the Amerasian applicants and their accompanying family members. To be eligible for Amerasian classification, the applicant must have been born before 31 December 1975. Thus, Amerasians who receive visas now would be at least 38 years old.
In 2003, the US Consulate in Saigon issued about 12,000 Nonimmigrant Visas for tourists, students and business persons. The total went up to 37,000 visas in 2008, then went down for three years, but in 2012-2013 it was up again, to 38,000 visas.
Every month in FY 2012, more than 300 spouses of U.S. Citizens were given visas to join their husbands in the US. About 1,000 children accompanied the 3,600 spouses to the US.
No orphan cases were processed in FY 2012 because the adoption agreement between the US and Vietnam lapsed in 2008 and has not been renewed.
US citizens sponsored 3,700 parents in 2012.
Nine widows of US citizens were also granted visas in 2012. The old law said that they had to be married to their US citizen spouse for at least two years in order to get a visa. The new law applies even if they were married just for one day. The widow must file the I-360 Green Card application with 2 years after the death of the citizen spouse.
In FY 2012, US Permanent Residents were re-united with 6,200 spouses and children, while US citizen sponsors welcomed 4,800 adult children and 6,600 siblings and their families from Vietnam.
2014 will see a possible change in CSPA-F2B cases if the Supreme Court makes a favorable ruling, but the big question about immigration in 2014 is whether or not there will be a Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR). All we can say for sure is that the current laws are more favorable to the Vietnamese community. A new CIR will result in changes that will impact the community negatively.
Christmas, New Year’s, and Tet are the times when families gather and think about those still in Vietnam. As we say every year, now is the time to start the sponsorship. New laws could mean disappointments.
Merry Christmas from all of us at RMI.
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Q.1. What about visa petitions that are already on file with CIS? Will the CIR have any negative affect on them?
A.1. The CIR will not result in the cancellation of any petitions that are already on file with CIS. The CIR might actually speed up the processing of some categories. However, some petitions that are filed after a new CIR takes effect may face some difficulties.
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Q.2. When will the Supreme Court announce its decision about CSPA-F2B cases?
A.2. There is no exact date for this. The decision is expected in “early 2014”.
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Q.3. It seems that some categories like F1-student and P3 performers are now denied more than they were in the past. Has policy changed at the Consulate?
A.3. The Consulate has assured us that the policy has not changed. However, after the Boston Marathon bombing, consuls are certainly paying more attention to the student visa cases and perhaps applying the rules more strictly.
Entertainment visas are always problematic because most consuls have no idea who the performers are or if they can be trusted to follow the terms of their visa. Very detailed paper work will be required to support these applications.
ROBERT MULLINS INTERNATIONAL www.rmiodp.com
Immigration Support Services-Tham Van Di Tru
9070 Bolsa Avenue, Westminster CA 92683 (714) 890-9933
779 Story Road, Ste. 70, San Jose, CA 95122 (408) 294-3888
6930 65th St. Ste. #105, Sacramento CA 95823 (916) 393-3388
Cty Rang Mi: 47 Phung Khac Khoan, Q1, HCM (848) 3914-7638
Looking at the raw numbers for FY 2012, we see that the US Consulate in Saigon issued about 23,000 immigrant visas and 38,000 non-immigrant visas. Ninety-nine percent of the non-immigrant visas were for tourists, students and business visitors.
Going back ten years, we see 14,400 immigrant visas issued in 2003 for relatives of Vietnamese in America. The visa numbers increased to 23,600 for 2008. Then the financial crises pushed the total down to 20,000 visas, but there was a recovery resulting in a jump in visas to 27,000 for 2010 and 2011. The last two years show visa totals in the low twenty-thousands.
Logically, there should be increases every year, but there are other factors involved such as financial concerns, and the advancing age of family members in Vietnam, and the fact that some relatives have decided to remain in Vietnam rather than immigrate. However, Vietnam continues to be among the top ten immigrant visa issuing countries, getting 4% of the immigrant visas available for the whole world.
In 2012-2013, from the 24,000 immigrant visas issued in Vietnam, 8,500 visas went to the spouses, children or parents of US citizens. Fifteen thousand and five hundred visas went to other relatives of US citizens and permanent residents.
It was interesting to see that in the past year, 75 visas were issued for Amerasian Immigrants. That would include both the Amerasian applicants and their accompanying family members. To be eligible for Amerasian classification, the applicant must have been born before 31 December 1975. Thus, Amerasians who receive visas now would be at least 38 years old.
In 2003, the US Consulate in Saigon issued about 12,000 Nonimmigrant Visas for tourists, students and business persons. The total went up to 37,000 visas in 2008, then went down for three years, but in 2012-2013 it was up again, to 38,000 visas.
Every month in FY 2012, more than 300 spouses of U.S. Citizens were given visas to join their husbands in the US. About 1,000 children accompanied the 3,600 spouses to the US.
No orphan cases were processed in FY 2012 because the adoption agreement between the US and Vietnam lapsed in 2008 and has not been renewed.
US citizens sponsored 3,700 parents in 2012.
Nine widows of US citizens were also granted visas in 2012. The old law said that they had to be married to their US citizen spouse for at least two years in order to get a visa. The new law applies even if they were married just for one day. The widow must file the I-360 Green Card application with 2 years after the death of the citizen spouse.
In FY 2012, US Permanent Residents were re-united with 6,200 spouses and children, while US citizen sponsors welcomed 4,800 adult children and 6,600 siblings and their families from Vietnam.
2014 will see a possible change in CSPA-F2B cases if the Supreme Court makes a favorable ruling, but the big question about immigration in 2014 is whether or not there will be a Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR). All we can say for sure is that the current laws are more favorable to the Vietnamese community. A new CIR will result in changes that will impact the community negatively.
Christmas, New Year’s, and Tet are the times when families gather and think about those still in Vietnam. As we say every year, now is the time to start the sponsorship. New laws could mean disappointments.
Merry Christmas from all of us at RMI.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q.1. What about visa petitions that are already on file with CIS? Will the CIR have any negative affect on them?
A.1. The CIR will not result in the cancellation of any petitions that are already on file with CIS. The CIR might actually speed up the processing of some categories. However, some petitions that are filed after a new CIR takes effect may face some difficulties.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q.2. When will the Supreme Court announce its decision about CSPA-F2B cases?
A.2. There is no exact date for this. The decision is expected in “early 2014”.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q.3. It seems that some categories like F1-student and P3 performers are now denied more than they were in the past. Has policy changed at the Consulate?
A.3. The Consulate has assured us that the policy has not changed. However, after the Boston Marathon bombing, consuls are certainly paying more attention to the student visa cases and perhaps applying the rules more strictly.
Entertainment visas are always problematic because most consuls have no idea who the performers are or if they can be trusted to follow the terms of their visa. Very detailed paper work will be required to support these applications.
ROBERT MULLINS INTERNATIONAL www.rmiodp.com
Immigration Support Services-Tham Van Di Tru
9070 Bolsa Avenue, Westminster CA 92683 (714) 890-9933
779 Story Road, Ste. 70, San Jose, CA 95122 (408) 294-3888
6930 65th St. Ste. #105, Sacramento CA 95823 (916) 393-3388
Cty Rang Mi: 47 Phung Khac Khoan, Q1, HCM (848) 3914-7638
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