MERRILL LYNCH VARIABLE SERIES FUNDS INC, 497J, 1996-12-30

MERRILL LYNCH VARIABLE SERIES FUNDS INC
497J, 1996-12-30

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             MERRILL LYNCH VARIABLE SERIES FUNDS, INC.
                           P.O. Box 9011
                   Princeton, New Jersey 08543.


                                   December 16, 1996

VIA EDGAR

Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, DC  20549-1004

Re:  Registration Statement on Form N-1A
     FILE NO. 2-74452

Ladies and Gentlemen:

          Pursuant  to  Rule  497(j)  under  the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended  (the  "Act"),  Merrill  Lynch  Variable Series  Funds,  Inc.  (the
"Company"), hereby certifies:

     (i)  that  each  form  of  prospectus  and   statement  of  additional
information that would have been filed under Rule 497(c)  of  the Act would
not have differed from that contained in Post-Effective Amendment No. 26 of
the  Registration  Statement  on  Form N-1A (the "Registration Statement"),
which is the most recent amendment to such Registration Statement; and

     (ii) that the Registration Statement was filed electronically with the
Securities and Exchange Commission on December 9, 1996.

                                   Sincerely,

                                   MERRILL LYNCH VARIABLE
                                     SERIES FUNDS, INC.



                                   By  /S/ IRA P. SHAPIRO
                                        Ira P. Shapiro
                                        Secretary


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