Department of State July 2019 Visa Bulletin Summary

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

With respect to Final Action Dates, EB-1 China progressed just under 3 months to May 8, 2017. All other EB-1 final action dates remain unchanged. EB-2 China progressed by 3 months to November 1, 2016 and EB-2 India progressed by only 5 days to April 24, 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 just under 4 months to January 1, 2016. All other EB-3 areas of chargeability remain current, with the exception of the Philippines which was previously current but, this month, has retrogressed to November 1, 2018. EB-5 Non-Regional Center and EB-5 Regional Center final action dates are current with the exception of China, India and Vietnam. EB-5 China remains backlogged at October 1, 2014 and EB-5 Vietnam remains backlogged at October 1, 2016. In addition, EB-5 India is no longer current and is now backlogged to May 1, 2017.

Application filing dates for all EB-1 areas of chargeability remain unchanged. EB-2 India also remained unchanged and EB-2 China progressed 3 months to February 1, 2017. All other EB-2 application filing dates remain current. EB-3 China progressed 6 months to June 1, 2016 and EB-3 Philippines is now current. EB-3 remains current for all other areas of chargeability. 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 not yet has advised whether, in July 2019, it will accept adjustment of status applications based on final action dates or application filing dates.

Please note that due to the unusual movement in several categories, D&S is working to confirm the information published by The Department of State this month is accurate.

Department of State April 2019 Visa Bulletin Summary

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

With respect to Final Action Dates, EB-1 China and EB-1 India remained backlogged at February 22, 2017. All other EB-1 categories progressed by 1 month to February 1, 2018. EB-2 China progressed by 3 months to April 01, 2016 and EB-2 India progressed by only 3 days to April 12, 2009. All other EB-2 chargeability areas remain current. EB-3 India and EB-3 China progressed to June 22, 2009 and August 1, 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 September 15, 2014 and August 22, 2016 respectively.

Application filing dates for EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 workers across all areas of chargeability remain unchanged, except for EB-2 China which progressed by 2 months to July 01, 2016, EB-2 India which moved to June 1, 2009, and EB-3 Philippines which progressed by 4 months to July 01, 2018. Application filing dates for EB-5 Regional Center and Non-Regional Center remain current with the exception of China, which is backlogged at October 8, 2014.

As of today, March 14, 2019, USCIS has not advised whether, in April 2019, it will accept adjustment of status applications for employment-based petitions based on final action dates or application filing dates.

Department of State February 2019 Visa Bulletin Summary

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

With respect to Final Action Dates, EB-1 China and EB-1 India progressed to February 8, 2017. All other EB-1 categories progressed by 2 month to December 1, 2017. EB-2 China progressed by 2 months to October 01, 2015 and EB-2 India progressed by only 5 days to April 6, 2009. All other EB-2 chargeability areas remain current. EB-3 Philippines progressed by 5 weeks to August 1, 2017. EB-3 India and EB-3 China progressed to April 22, 2009 and July 01, 2015 respectively. All other EB-3 areas of chargeability remain current. EB-5 Regional Center is currently unavailable. EB-5 Regional Center final action dates are current with the exception of China, which remains backlogged at September 1, 2014, and Vietnam, which progressed by 15 days to June 15, 2016.

Application filing dates for EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 workers across all areas of chargeability remain unchanged, except for EB- 2 China which progressed by over one month to November 01, 2015 and EB-3 Philippines which moved by two months to October 01, 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, January 14, 2019, USCIS has not advised whether in February 2019 it will accept adjustment of status applications for family and employment-based petitions based on final action dates or 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 December 2018 Visa Bulletin Summary

The Department of State has released the December 2018 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 1.5 months to July 1, 2015 and EB-2 India progressed by 1 week to April 1, 2009. All other EB-2 chargeability areas remain current. EB-3 China progressed by 1 week to June 8, 2015 and EB-3 India progressed by 2 months to March 1, 2009. All other EB-3 chargeability areas remain current. EB-5 Regional Center and Non-Regional Center China progressed by a week to August 22, 2014 and EB-5 Regional Center and Non-Regional Center Vietnam progressed by 3 months to May 1, 2016. All other EB-5 Regional Center and Non-Regional Center chargeability areas remain current.

Application filing dates for EB-1 workers across all areas of chargeability remain unchanged. EB-2 China progressed by 2.5 months to September 8, 2015. All other EB-2 areas of chargeability remain unchanged. Application filing dates for EB-3 China progressed by 4 months to December 1, 2015, EB-3 India progressed by 3 months to January 1, 2010. 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, November 14, 2018, USCIS has advised that in December 2018, it will accept adjustment of status applications for family and employment-based petitions based on application filing dates.

Department of State October 2018 Visa Bulletin Summary

The Department of State has released the October 2018 Visa Bulletin. D&S provides a Monthly Summary of the family and employment-based priority dates.

Final action dates for EB-1 China and EB-1 India have progressed by 4.5 years to June 1, 2016. All other EB-1 areas of chargeability have progressed by 8 months to April 1, 2017. EB-2 China and EB-2 India have each progressed by a little over 2 years to April 1, 2015 and March 26, 2009 respectively. EB-3 China has progressed by 7 months to June 1, 2015, while EB-3 India has progressed by 6 years to January 1, 2009. EB-3 Philippines has progressed by 7 months to June 1, 2017. Other Workers China remains unchanged, while Other Workers India has progressed by 6 years to January 1, 2009. EB-4 El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras remains unchanged, while EB-4 Mexico has progressed by approximately 8 months to October 22, 2016. Certain Religious Workers are now unavailable across all areas of chargeability, as is EB-5 Regional Center. EB-5 Non-Regional Center China has progressed by 1 week to August 15, 2014 and EB-5 Non-Regional Center Vietnam has progressed by approximately 1.5 years to January 1, 2016. All other Employment Based categories across all areas of chargeability are now current.

F1 Worldwide, China and India have progressed to June 1, 2011, while F-1 Mexico and F-1 Philippines remain unchanged. Likewise, F2A Worldwide, China and India have progressed by 1 month to August 22, 2016, and F2A Mexico and F2A Philippines have progressed to August 1, 2016 and August 22, 2016 respectively. F2B Worldwide, China and India have progressed by 3 weeks to November 22, 2011, with F2B Mexico and F2B Philippines progressing by less than a month to May 15, 1997 and May 15, 2007 respectively. F3 Worldwide, China and India has progressed by 1.5 months to June 15, 2006, while F3 Philippines has progressed by 1 week to June 8, 1995. F3 Mexico remains unchanged. F4 Worldwide and China have progressed by about 1 month to February 15, 2005. Similarly F4 India has progressed to May 1, 2004. F4 Mexico and F4 Philippines have progressed by about 1 week to January 22, 1998 and June 8, 1995 respectively.

Application filing dates for EB-1 China and EB-1 India have retrogressed to October 1, 2017 and EB-1 for all other areas of chargeability has retrogressed to June 1, 2018. EB-2 China has progressed by 2.5 months to June 15, 2015 but EB-3 China has retrogressed by approximately 4 months to August 8, 2015. EB-3 India has progressed by 4 months to October 1, 2009, as has Other Workers India. All other Employment Based categories across all areas of chargeability remain unchanged.

Application filing dates for F1 Mexico have progressed to October 8, 1998. F2B Mexico has progressed by approximately 2 weeks to June 22, 1997. F3 Worldwide, China and India have progressed by nearly 4 months to January 8, 2007, while F3 Mexico has progressed by approximately 2 months to December 22, 1998. Similarly, F3 Philippines has progressed by more than 1 year to June 1, 1997. F4 Worldwide, China and India have progressed by 1 month to June 1, 2005, while F4 Mexico has progressed by 3 weeks to June 22, 1998, and F4 Philippines has progressed by 4 months to April 8, 1996. All other categories across all areas of chargeability remain unchanged.

As of today, September 13, 2018, USCIS has not advised whether, in October 2018, it will accept adjustment of status applications for family and employment-based petitions based on final action dates or application filing dates.

Department of State July 2018 Visa Bulletin Summary

The Department of State has released the July 2018 Visa Bulletin.  D&S provides a Monthly Summary of the family and employment-based priority dates.  

With respect to Final Action Dates, EB-1 China and EB-1 India will both retrogress significantly to January 1, 2012. EB-2 China has progressed by 4 months to January 1, 2015. EB-3 China has retrogressed by nearly 2.5 years to January 1, 2013.  EB-2 India has progressed by nearly 2.5 months to March 15, 2009. EB-3 India and Other Workers India have both progressed by 5 months to November 1, 2008. EB-4 El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras and Religious Workers El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras have each progressed by nearly 2 months to February 8, 2016. EB-4 Mexico and Religious Workers Mexico have retrogressed by 8 months to February 8, 2016. All other categories remain unchanged across all areas of chargeability.

With respect to Application Filing Dates, EB-2 China has progressed by 2 months to April 1, 2015, and EB-2 India has progressed nearly 2 months to May 22, 2009. EB-3 India and Other Workers India have each progressed by 8 months to May 1, 2009. EB-4 El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras and Religious Workers El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras have both progressed by two weeks to May 1, 2016. EB-5 China has progressed by 1 month to October 1, 2014 for both Regional Centers and Non-Regional Centers. All other categories remain unchanged across all areas of chargeability.

As of today, June 15, 2018, USCIS has not advised whether, in July 2018, it will accept adjustment of status applications for family and employment-based petitions based on final action dates or application filing dates.