According to the State Department's March Visa Bulletin, the cutoff date for final issuance of an immigrant visa will advance by five months for EB-2 China, to August 1, 2012, and by six weeks for EB-2 India, to October 15, 2008.
Final action cutoff dates for EB-3 professionals and skilled workers will advance by eight months for China, to June 1, 2013; by one month for India, to July 15, 2004; by just over two months for the Philippines, to March 15, 2008; and by three months for all other countries, to January 1, 2016. Final action cutoff dates for EB-5 China, in both the Regional Center and non-Regional Center programs, will advance by one week, to January 22, 2014.
Cutoff dates for eligibility to file an application for permanent residence will advance by five months for EB-2 China, to June 1, 2013, but will not advance for EB-2 India. Filing eligibility dates in EB-3 will advance by one year and seven months for China, to May 1, 2015, and will be current for most other countries, with the exception of India and the Philippines, which will remain unchanged. In the coming days, USCIS is expected to announce on its own Visa Bulletin web page whether it will accept adjustment of status applications from foreign nationals with a priority date that makes them eligible to file in March.
Future Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Availability
If current demand for immigrant visas continues at current levels, the State Department projects that cutoff dates for employment-based preference categories could advance to the following dates by June 2016:
- EB-2 China: Up to five months
- EB-2 India: Up to three months
- EB-3 China: Up to five months
- EB-3 India: Up to one month
- EB-3 Philippines: Up to four months
- EB-3 All other countries: Slow or no movement
- EB-5 China: Slow forward movement
FINAL ACTION CUTOFF DATES FOR MARCH 2016
EB-1
Current for all countries.
EB-2
China: August 1, 2012
India: October 15, 2008
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: June 1, 2013
India: July 15, 2004
Philippines: March 15, 2008
All other countries: January 1, 2016
EB-3 Other Workers
China: February 1, 2007
India: July 15, 2004
Philippines: March 15, 2008
All other countries: January 1, 2016
EB-5
China: January 22, 2014
Current for all other countries and subcategories.
FILING ELIGIBILITY CUT-OFF DATES FOR MARCH 2016
EB-1
Current for all countries.
EB-2
China: June 1, 2013
India: July 1, 2009
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: May 1, 2015
India: July 1, 2005
Philippines: January 1, 2010
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Other Workers
China: August 1, 2007
India: July 1, 2005
Philippines: January 1, 2010
All other countries: Current
EB-5
China: May 1, 2015
Current for all other countries and subcategories.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.