Department of State June 2019 Visa Bulletin Summary

The Department of State has released the June 2019 Visa Bulletin. D&S provides a Monthly Summary of the employment-based priority dates.

With respect to Final Action Dates, EB-1 China remains backlogged at February 22, 2017. EB-1 India has retrogressed over 2 years to January 1, 2015. All other EB-1 categories progressed by just over 1 month to April 22, 2018. EB-2 China progressed by 6 weeks to August 1, 2016 and EB-2 India progressed by only 3 days to April 19, 2009. All other EB-2 chargeability areas remain current. EB-3 Philippines progressed by 5 months to November 1, 2018. EB-3 India remained at July 1, 2009 and EB-3 China progressed modestly to September 15, 2015, respectively. All other EB-3 areas of chargeability remain current. EB-5 Non-Regional Center and EB-5 Regional Center final action dates are current with the exception of China and Vietnam, which are backlogged at October 1, 2014 and October 1, 2016 respectively.

Application filing dates for all EB-1 areas of chargeability remain unchanged. EB-2 India also remained unchanged and EB-3 China progressed 2 months to November 1, 2016. All other EB-2 application filing dates remain current. EB-3 workers across all areas of chargeability remain unchanged, except for EB-3 Philippines which progressed by 3 months to January 1, 2019. Application filing dates for EB-5 Regional Center and Non-Regional Center remain current with the exception of China, which is backlogged at November 1, 2014.

USCIS has advised that, in June 2019, it will accept adjustment of status applications for employment-based petitions based on final action dates and family-based adjustment of status applications based on application filing dates.

Department of State January 2019 Visa Bulletin Summary

The Department of State has released the January 2019 Visa Bulletin. D&S provides a Monthly Summary of the family and employment-based priority dates.

With respect to Final Action Dates, all EB-1 chargeability areas progressed by 3 months. EB-2 China progressed by 1 month to August 1, 2015 and EB-2 India remains backlogged at April 1, 2009. All other EB-2 chargeability areas remain current. EB-3 Philippines progressed by 1 week to June 22, 2017. EB-3 China and EB-3 India remain backlogged at June 8, 2015 and March 1, 2009 respectively. All other EB-3 areas of chargeability remain current. In light of the pending sunset of the regional center program set to occur December 21, 2018, EB-5 Regional Center is currently unavailable and EB-5 Regional Center final action dates are current with the exception of China, which progressed by 10 days to September 1, 2014 and Vietnam which progressed by 1 month to June 1, 2016.

Application filing dates for EB-1 and EB-2 workers across all areas of chargeability remain unchanged. EB-3 China progressed by 1 month to January 1, 2016 and EB-3 India progressed by 3 months to April 1, 2010. EB-3 Philippines remains backlogged at August 1, 2017. Application filing dates for EB-5 Regional Center and Non-Regional Center remain current with the exception of China which remains backlogged at October 1, 2014.

As of today, December 14, 2018, USCIS has advised that in January 2019, it will accept adjustment of status applications for family and employment-based petitions based on the Dates for Filing charts.

Department of State June 2017 Visa Bulletin Summary

This week the Department of State released the June 2017 Visa Bulletin.  D&S provides a Monthly Summary of the family and employment-based priority dates.  Application Filing Dates for EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 Worldwide are current.  Additionally, Application Filing Dates for China remain unchanged in both the EB-2 and EB-3 categories with EB-2 China at October 1, 2013 and EB-3 China at September 1, 2015.  Similarly, Application Filing Dates for India in both the EB-2 and EB-3 categories remain unchanged at February 1, 2009 and April 22, 2006 respectively.  Application Filing Dates for EB-3 Philippines remain unchanged at July 1, 2014.  Application Filing Dates for EB-5 China remain unchanged at September 1, 2014.

With respect to Final Action Dates, there was significant retrogression of nearly 5.5 years for EB-1 China and EB-1 India, with each category retrogressing to January 1, 2012. EB-2 China progressed one month to April 1, 2013 and EB-3 China remains unchanged at October 1, 2014.  EB-2 India progressed slightly to July 1, 2008 and EB-3 India retrogressed by 10 days to May 15, 2005.  EB-3 El Salvador progressed 1 month to April 15, 2017.  Certain Religious Workers are once again current for all groups except Mexico and El Salvador, which are both retrogressed to July 15, 2015.  EB-3 Philippines has progressed 4 months to May 1, 2013.

EB-2 Worldwide remains current and EB-3 Worldwide has progressed one month to April 15, 2017. EB-5 China progressed by one week to June 8, 2014.

As of today, May 9, 2017, USCIS has not advised whether, in June 2017, it will accept adjustment of status applications for family and employment-based petitions based on final action dates or application filing dates.