How does visa counting work during the fiscal year?

The visa counting process during the United States fiscal year determines how many visas from each category, such as EB-3, can be issued within a specific period. It’s important to understand this system to have clarity on deadlines and competition that may affect the progress of your immigration cases.

The fiscal year in the United States begins on October 1st and lasts until September 30th of the following year. Within this period, there is a limited number of visas available for each category, and these numbers are set by law.

In the case of the EB-3, which is one of the employment-based visa categories, there is a specific quota that, besides being an annual total, may have subdivisions by country of origin. This can cause queues or longer waiting times for certain nationalities. Counting always starts at the beginning of the fiscal year, and unused visas generally are not carried over or added to the following year’s total, emphasizing the importance of closely monitoring deadlines.

If the quota for a certain category or country is reached before the end of the fiscal year, new applications may be subject to retrogression, meaning the applicant will need to wait for the next cycle for their case to be considered again.

It is essential to strictly follow United States immigration laws and rely on information from trustworthy sources. It is recommended that interested parties stay well informed through official channels and avoid falling into traps set by marketing campaigns promising quick or guaranteed solutions.

The system’s complexity may vary depending on each case, so it is wise to seek guidance from specialized professionals before making any decision.

I hope this explanation has clarified how visa counting works during the fiscal year, especially in the context of the EB-3 visa. Staying informed and following legal procedures is always the best path to a safe and lawful immigration process.

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

Leading journalism and editorial content at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps make immigration topics clear, trustworthy, and easy to understand. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.