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Travel | Travel: Is getting a pricey cruise upgrade…

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Travel | travel: is getting a pricey cruise upgrade really worth it.

Lavishing in ultimate luxury doesn’t come cheap, of course. The million-dollar question of “to splurge or not to splurge?” can add thousands of dollars to an already pricey purchase. For those who can afford a stately stateroom, however, they are often afforded a boatload of benefits beyond the deluxe digs.

But like pretty much everything in life, you don’t always get what you pay for. While the majority of passenger ships put the biggest spenders in cruise control with such privileges as exclusive dining options, private lounges and reserved theater seats, some have guests looking at their travel budget with a sinking feeling.

Playing the dual role of travel agent and real estate agent, we’ve checked out some prime properties that, under normal conditions, promise an elevated experience when paying a suntanned arm and leg.

Even without getting into upgrades, cruise fares are all over the nautical map due to such factors as the number of nights, itinerary, season, availability, the cruise line and even the ship itself. For sanity’s sake, we’ll do like a bad kayaking shore excursion and only scratch the surface here.

Focusing on the value-based mainstream cruise market (because, let’s face it, those who can afford the best don’t even blink at upgrading), the big four are serving up a buffet of bundles — and we all know how much cruisers love buffets. The key is making sure your eyes are not bigger than your stomach — or in this case, wallet.

Despite the dizzying number of premium packages out there, a standard inclusion with a suite on mega-ships (those defined as having 1,500 or more cabins) is a “fast pass” of sorts when checking in, boarding, debarking, tendering and dining in the main restaurants.

The OG of exclusive suite zones is Norwegian Cruise Line ( ncl.com ). Having pioneered the concept in 2005, giving it a name — The Haven — in 2011, mass-market NCL offers this elite enclave on the majority of its fleet. This includes the newer Prima-class ships: the 3,099-passenger namesake and 3,215-guest Viva, both of which blur the line between the mainstream and premium categories. A private bar, lounge and restaurant, secluded sundeck and infinity pool, and 24-hour butler service, all within an area accessible only by keycard, will also delight future passengers on the 3,571-guest Norwegian Aqua, debuting in April 2025.

How much is a slice of heaven in The Haven? The fleetwide average fare for a seven-day sail in a 300-square-foot balcony room is around $3,000 per person. That’s chump change and a cracker box compared to one of the two 2,100-square-foot, three-bed, three-bath Duplex Suites that will be on Aqua. At press time, these maritime mansions were about $14,000 per person for a weeklong Caribbean cruise out of Florida next summer.

On Royal Caribbean International’s amazing Icon of the Seas , the largest suite of the world’s largest ship is the 1,772-square-foot, three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse that sleeps eight. It’s got a multi-level slide, a wraparound balcony, whirlpool, areas for karaoke and watching movies, and even a patio with ping-pong.

Royal Caribbean ( royalcaribbean.com ) divides its top suites on its newer and bigger ships into three Royal Suite categories — Sea, Sky and Star — and, no surprise, the Ultimate Family Townhouse belongs in the class named for the physically highest of the trio. Services and amenities are still impressive up in the Sky and even at Sea level, but being a Star comes with pre-paid gratuities, specialty dining and a deluxe beverage package.

Carnival Cruise Line ( carnival.com ) is known for being more fun than fancy, but with every renovation and new ship there is an opportunity to add frills with the thrills. “Fun Ships” don’t have private elevators for guests between suite enclaves and main decks — at least not yet — but most of Carnival’s fleet offers VIP treatment when staying in certain zones. Excel-class suites, available on the 5,282-passenger Jubilee, Celebration and Mardi Gras, provide access at Loft 19, a top-deck sanctuary that offers super-comfortable lounge chairs, an exclusive and spacious infinity whirlpool, and rentable cabanas that come with such indulgences as dedicated concierge service, chilled towels, lunch delivery, and glorious shade.

Other perks of an Excel-class suite include sparkling wine and a fruit bowl upon arrival, soft drink package, and use of the Thermal Suites, which are dedicated relaxation centers that offer seafaring splendor in a variety of environments. Also worth a look before you book are the following communities that come with select services and amenities: Cuban-themed Havana on Vista, Horizon, Panorama and the three Excel ships (for guests 12 and over); Italian-accented Terrazza on Firenze and Venezia (same); wellness-focused Cloud 9 Spa on 13 ships; and Family Harbor. The latter stateroom and suite community, on Celebration, Horizon, Jubilee, Mardi Gras, Panorama and Vista, comes with daily breakfast and snacks in an exclusive family-friendly lounge stocked with age-appropriate video and board games, and movies, an evening of late-night babysitting service at Camp Ocean, and other cool stuff.

MSC Cruises ( msccruisesusa.com ), the third-largest cruise line after Royal Caribbean and Carnival, has the MSC Yacht Club, a winning response to the competition’s various exclusive suite enclaves. Strutting around the loftiest lodging on the beautiful 5,877-passenger Seascape and a dozen other ships in the fleet lends a feeling of being on a cruise within a cruise. Elegance begins with a less stressful embarkation process in port and continues onboard with full-service and buffet-style gourmet dining. Yacht Club privileges also include the best drink and internet packages, 24-hour butler and room service, special concierge desk, perks at the spa, afternoon tea, exclusive pools and lounges, and priority over commoners at several useful places. The Yacht Club experience continues on land should the itinerary include Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, where the private and serene Ocean House Beach awaits with ocean views, beachfront cabanas and inclusive amenities.

Moving on up to the premium category, Disney Cruise Line ( disneycruiseline.com ) has an E-ticket suite on its 4,000-passenger flagship, the mouska-riffic Disney Wish . The apex of accommodations has an avant-garde address. Nestled inside the one funnel that’s just for show is the “Moana”-themed Concierge Wish Tower Suite. Spread across 1,966 square feet and two levels connected by a spiral staircase are four bedrooms, four and one-half bathrooms, and enough space to sleep eight. The happiest place at sea is running about $35,000 for a family of five on a three-day Bahamian cruise next summer.

Within the luxury class, Windstar Cruises ( windstarcruises.com ) has three all-suite motorized Star Plus-class ships in a fleet filled out by a trio of Wind-class sailing yachts. Aboard each of the 312-passenger Star Plus vessels are three owners suites ranging in size from 575 to 1,374 square feet. Over the past two years, Windstar has rolled out two additional suites on each Star Plus yacht, and their concept is not only unique, but award winning. Earning bragging rights as “Best Suites at Sea” (small-ship division) at last year’s Cruise Ship Interior Awards were The Broadmoor and Sea Island suites that match the decor of their namesake five-star resorts in Colorado Springs and the Georgia coast, right down to the furniture, crown moldings and wallpaper.

Hitting the heights, which in the cruising world means the ultra-luxury category, Crystal ( crystalcruises.com ) offers up a 1,372-square-foot Crystal Penthouse Suite on the 740-guest Serenity, which went through a near-complete makeover in 2023. with expansive living areas, a private veranda, elaborate finishings, a Romanesque bathroom, dining area, big-enough private kitchen with a dishwasher and microwave, and, speaking from personal experience, one of the two best butler services at sea. (Seabourn has the other). At last check, bunking in the best of the best on an eight-day Mediterranean cruise was going for about $44,000 for two next summer.

The beauty of cruising is you don’t have to go big or go home. Living the suite life may cost thousands or tens of thousands, but even if the low end is too dear, cruise fares, like ships and passengers, come in all shapes and sizes.

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• Nearly free travel is possible

How to earn credit card points

How to redeem travel rewards, when to use rewards vs. cash.

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How to Book Award Travel: Maximizing Your Points and Miles

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Introduction to booking award travel

Many people think credit card rewards are convoluted and hard to use.

That's not necessarily true. With minimal effort, you can redeem credit card rewards for nearly free hotel stays, rental cars, airfare and more. The convoluted part is learning to redeem rewards efficiently so you can squeeze every last drop of value from them.

This guide offers a crash course on quickly earning travel rewards from the best credit cards so you can book amazing travel deals for far less than cash value. We'll also share the knowledge you need to find these great rates on your own.

Nearly free travel is possible with credit card rewards

Before collecting credit card rewards, identify your travel goals. Not all credit card rewards accomplish the same outcome. For example:

• If you want free flights, you should collect airline miles
• If you want free hotel stays, you should collect hotel points
• If you want free food and other expenses, you should collect cash back
• And if you want some combination of all three benefits, you should collect flexible or transferable points , which we'll discuss below

The fastest way to accumulate rewards is by earning credit card welcome bonuses. Most rewards credit cards come with a chunk of either points, miles, or cash that will deposit into your account after you meet minimum spending requirements .

There are dozens of credit card welcome offers available — quite literally millions of points and miles to be earned — if you're willing to open credit cards and earn their bonuses.

Many rewards credit cards also provide bonus points when you spend money in certain categories. You'll earn points for your everyday purchases far more quickly   if you take the time to identify and acquire the right handful of credit cards for your personal spending habits.

Opening multiple credit cards

You've probably been conditioned to believe that opening multiple credit cards harms your financial health. It's not — at least, there's nothing intrinsically irresponsible about it. As long as you pay off your balance in full every month and don't spend beyond your means, credit cards can be valuable tools for your finances and travel habits. 

If you use credit responsibly, your credit score may actually increase after opening more credit cards , which we explore in Business Insider's guide on how to get an excellent credit score . And with healthy usage, your cards can provide significantly more value than what you might pay in annual fees .

Don't overspend to earn rewards

If you don't have the best track record with credit, or if you simply don't think you're responsible enough to open lots of credit cards, don't do it. Rewards credit cards come with outlandish interest rates . In other words, unless you're able to pay your credit card in full each month, you'll pay out the nose in fees. And accruing debt on a rewards credit card isn't easy to overcome.

It's also a good rule of thumb to keep from jumping into credit card rewards until you have a credit score of at least 700. This will give you the best chance of being approved for pretty much any card you want.

Earning transferable points

Transferable points are the real powerhouse in the flexible rewards space. Transferable points are popular among travelers for two primary reasons:

• They're easy to earn. Each flexible points currency can be earned on multiple different credit cards within that issuer's ecosystem. Most of these cards also earn bonus points on specific categories of spend. 
• Points transfer to multiple airline and hotel partners. This is helpful if you have various travel goals and don't want to limit yourself to a single airline or hotel currency. For example, if you want to stay at both Hilton and Marriott properties, you could collect Amex Membership Rewards points, which transfer to both hotel programs.

So, you've earned a stash of points, miles, and/or cash back. Now, what are you going to do with them?

The world of miles and points can be a bit complex. Let's look at a quick explainer of how to use each type of reward. Once you understand how they work, you'll understand how to find good deals.

Airline miles

Let's get a misconception out of the way first: Each airline mile you collect does not give you the ability to travel on a plane for 5,280 feet. In other words, just because you've collected 24,901 miles doesn't mean you can circumnavigate the Earth. Perhaps it's less confusing to just think of them as airline rewards.

Airlines have different ways of pricing award flights:

• Some price award seats according to the distance you fly (British Airways does this)
• Some price them according to the country or regions you're flying between (Air Canada Aeroplan does this)
• Some price them according to the cash rate of the ticket you want to book (Southwest does this)
• Some price them according to a secret algorithm that makes seemingly no sense to the naked eye (American Airlines does this)

Once you learn these guidelines, you can plan ahead for the cost of travel on certain airlines. 

Most airlines have a large network of airline partners. This is important because you can usually use your miles to book flights on partner airlines, as well. For example, if you collect American Airlines miles, you can use them to book award travel on American Airlines as well as the following partners:

• Air Tahiti Nui
• Alaska Airlines
• British Airways
• Cathay Pacific
• Etihad Airways
• Fiji Airways
• GOL Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Japan Airlines
• Malaysia Airlines
• Qantas Airways
• Qatar Airways
• Royal Air Maroc
• Royal Jordanian Airlines
• Silver Airways
• SriLankan Airlines

As you can see, American Airlines miles can get you pretty much anywhere in the world. 

Hotel points

Hotel points work similarly to airline miles:

• Some hotels charge a points price that fluctuates according to the cash price of the room (Hilton does this)
• Some hotel programs place each property into a "category" with a somewhat fixed price, regardless of the cash price of the room (Hyatt does this)

For example, Hyatt charges between 17,000 and 23,000 points per night for a "Category 5" Hyatt hotel. The Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach is a Category 5 hotel. That means even if the hotel costs $1,000 per night, you'll never pay more than 23,000 points for a standard room.

Flexible rewards

Flexible rewards, as the name implies, can be used in various ways. Let's examine the three most popular redemption options.

Redeem for cash

Depending on the type of points you have, you can redeem them for cash at varying rates:

• Amex Membership Rewards points — 0.6 cents per point on average, or up to 1.1 cents per point on select cards
• Bilt Rewards — 0.5 cents per point
• Capital One miles — 0.5 cents per point
• Chase Ultimate Rewards points — 1 cent per point
• Citi ThankYou points — 0.5 cents per point (1 cent if you've got select cards)
• Wells Fargo Rewards — 1 cent per point 

In nearly every single scenario, cash back is not a good redemption option with these points. If you're interested in cash back, you should be using cash-back credit cards instead of travel credit cards .

"Buy" travel through a portal  

All flexible rewards can be used to reserve things like airfare, hotel stays, rental cars, and more through a proprietary bank portal at a fixed rate, though the rate can depend on the credit card you have.

• Amex Membership Rewards points — 0.7 to 1 cent per point through the Amex Travel Portal
• Bilt Rewards — 1.25 cents each through the Bilt Travel Portal
• Capital One miles — 1 cent per point through Capital One Travel
• Chase Ultimate Rewards points — Between 1 cent and 1.5 cents per point (depending on which card you have) through the Chase Travel Portal
• Citi ThankYou points — 1 cent per point through the Citi Travel Portal

Transfer to valuable travel partners

Converting your rewards into airline miles and hotel points gives them the most potential. Each flexible points currency offers its own unique transfer partners. Here's a quick rundown of each program with its transfer partners. All transfer ratios are 1:1 unless otherwise specified.

You can also redeem flexible rewards for purchases such as gift cards, merchandise, your Amazon cart, and even student loans, but you'll often find that the value per point is quite poor compared to the value you could get from redeeming for travel. 

Just because you can book a free flight or hotel stay with credit card rewards doesn't mean you should . Believe it or not, "free" isn't always a good deal. Sometimes, it's wiser to pay with cash.

Most points and miles currencies don't have a firm value. Depending on the way you redeem them, you can get wildly different return rates for your rewards. Discerning when you should use rewards and when you should use cash boils down to low-level algebra.

The magic formula

Whenever you're looking to reserve free travel with credit card rewards, you should know exactly how much value you're getting for your points. There's an easy formula to keep in mind:

(cash price of travel - award taxes and fees) / award cost in points = value per point

For example, a round-trip coach flight between Chicago and Venice costs $958 in late October. The award price for this trip is 60,000 United Airlines miles and $65 in taxes and fees.

Using the above formula, we will:

• Subtract the $65 in taxes you'll pay with your award flight from the cash price of the ticket ($958 - $65 = $893).
• Divide this new figure by the number of miles you'll pay ($893 / 60,000 = $0.014).

As you can see, booking this award ticket will give you a value of 1.4 cents per United Airlines mile. Since Business Insider values United miles at 1.3 cents apiece on average , you'd be getting slightly above-average value per point spent on this flight. 

How much are points and miles worth to you?

Because the value you can receive from credit card rewards can vary so much, you'll have to decide what constitutes "good" value for your points and miles. Business Insider has its own points and miles valuations guide, created by experts who use credit card rewards constantly.

What you should know about traveling with credit card rewards

If you dedicate some time to learning the ins and outs of traveling on points, there's practically nowhere in the world that you can't go for pennies on the dollar.

Award travel frequently asked questions

Utilize award search tools and airline websites to compare redemption options. Consider transferring points to airline or hotel partners for better value, and pay attention to award charts to understand how many points or miles you'll need for your desired travel.

Look for airlines with lower fuel surcharges on award tickets. Booking domestic flights or using airlines that charge minimal fees for international routes can also help reduce costs.

Yes, most loyalty programs allow you to book travel for others using your points or miles. However, some programs may require the traveler to be a family member or designated nominee.

Every points system has its own redemption rules, and different "currencies" offer varying value. For uniformity, use Business Insider's guide to points and miles valuations to reference how much value you're getting from a potential flight or hotel stay. 

In most cases, you'll have to book flights all in cash or all points. Some hotel chains allow you to combine points with cash for hotel stays, and credit card issuers often allow you to choose how many points you want to use to offset the cash price of a booking.

It isn't the end of the world if you can't find an award redemption. Consider booking an alternative route or destination, booking a cash backup but checking for award availability closer to your departure date, or plan far in advance and lock down reservations as soon as hotels or airlines open up award availability calendars. 

Most points and miles experts agree that you'll get the best deals and availabilities on award flights is right when the airline opens up availability — up to 330 days in advance for some companies — or within a week or two of your departure date. You can also use deal-tracking apps and award search websites to set up alerts when award travel availability opens up. 

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

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Accepting, Serving in, or Performing Duties of a Position with the Government of a Foreign State - Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Sectioin 349(a)(4)

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Visa Bulletin for November 2003

Number 63 Volume VIII Washington, D.C.

IMMIGRANT NUMBERS FOR NOVEMBER 2003

A. STATUTORY NUMBERS

This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during November . Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas; the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services in the Department of Homeland Security reports applicants for adjustment of status. Allocations were made, to the extent possible under the numerical limitations, for the demand received by October 6th in the chronological order of the reported priority dates. If the demand could not be satisfied within the statutory or regulatory limits, the category or foreign state in which demand was excessive was deemed oversubscribed. The cut-off date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who could not be reached within the numerical limits. Only applicants who have a priority date earlier than the cut-off date may be allotted a number. Immediately that it becomes necessary during the monthly allocation process to retrogress a cut-off date, supplemental requests for numbers will be honored only if the priority date falls within the new cut-off date.

2. Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) sets an annual minimum family-sponsored preference limit of 226,000. The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000. Section 202 prescribes that the per-country limit for preference immigrants is set at 7% of the total annual family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits, i.e., 25,620. The dependent area limit is set at 2%, or 7,320.

3. Section 203 of the INA prescribes preference classes for allotment of immigrant visas as follows:

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES

First:  Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.

Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, and any unused first preference numbers:

A. Spouses and Children: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;

B. Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older): 23% of the overall second preference limitation.

Third: Married Sons and Daughters of Citizens: 23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.

Fourth: Brothers and Sisters of Adult Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences. EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES

First:   Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.

Second:  Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.

Third:   Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to "Other Workers."

Fourth:   Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.

Fifth:   Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of P.L. 102-395.

4. INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed. Section 203(d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e) apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa demand exceeds the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas: MEXICO, INDIA and PHILIPPINES.

5. On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); "C" means current, i.e., numbers are available for all qualified applicants; and "U" means unavailable, i.e., no numbers are available. (NOTE: Numbers are available only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below.)

Priority Dates for Family Based Immigrant Visas

*NOTE:   For November, 2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 15MAR96. 2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 15MAR96 and earlier than 08OCT98. (All 2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit; there are no 2A numbers for MEXICO subject to per-country limit.)

Priority Dates for Employment-Based Immigrant Visas

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

B. DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY

Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides a maximum of up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit immigration opportunities for persons from countries other than the principal sources of current immigration to the United States. The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program. This reduction has resulted in the DV-2004 annual limit being reduced to 50,000. DV visas are divided among six geographic regions. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year. For November , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2004 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:

All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately

AFRICA:  AF 11,700 Except:  Ethiopia 9,000 ASIA:  AS 5,600 Except:  Bangladesh 2,800 EUROPE:  EU 10,100 NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS):  3 OCEANIA:  OC 400 SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN:  500

Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2004 program ends as of September 30, 2004. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2004 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2004 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2004. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2004 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30. Once all numbers provided by law for the DV-2004 program have been used, no further issuances will be possible.

C. ADVANCE NOTIFICATION OF THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN DECEMBER

For December , immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2004 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:

AFRICA:  AF 14,450 Except:  Ethiopia 12,400 ASIA:  AS 7,000 Except:  Bangladesh 4,100 EUROPE:  EU 13,900 Except:  Albania 10,100 NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS):  5 OCEANIA:  OC 500 SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN:  SA 1,075

D. OBTAINING THE MONTHLY VISA BULLETIN

The Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs offers the monthly Visa Bulletin on the Internet's WorldWide Web. The Internet page to access the Bulletin is:

http://travel.state.gov

To be placed on the Department of State’s e-mail subscription list for the Visa Bulletin, please provide your e-mail information to the following e-mail address:

[email protected]

and in the message body type:  Subscribe Visa-Bulletin First name/Last name (example: Subscribe Visa-Bulletin Sally Doe)

To be removed from the Department of State’s e-mail subscription list for the Visa Bulletin, send an e-mail message to the following e-mail address :

and in the message body type: Signoff Visa-Bulletin

The Department of State also has available a recorded message with visa cut-off dates which can be heard at (202) 663-1541. The recording is normally updated by the middle of each month with information on cut-off dates for the following month.

Readers may submit questions regarding Visa Bulletin related items by e-mail at the following address:

[email protected]

(This address cannot be used to subscribe to the Visa Bulletin)

Department of State Publication 9514 CA/VO: October 6, 2003

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