The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process, or if already pending, when the final step can be adjudicated.

Below is a summary of the February Visa Bulletin, including Final Action Dates and changes from the previous month.

China: EB-1 advances four months to January 1, 2020; EB-2 creeps forward two weeks to June 15, 2016; and EB-3 moves ahead two weeks to January 1, 2018.

India: EB-1 moves ahead four months to January 1, 2020; EB-2 inches forward four days to October 12, 2009; and EB-3 creeps ahead ten days to April 1, 2010.

All Other Countries: EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 remain current

NOTE: In February, USCIS will only accept I-485 applications based on the Department of State’s Final Action Dates chart.

The February Visa Bulletin includes the following projections for possible future movement through May 2021:

China: EB-1 is expected to advance “up to six months” each month; EB-2 should advance “up to three weeks” each month; and EB-3 is likely to continue to outpace EB-2, moving forward “up to one month” each month.

India: EB-1 is expected to move forward “up to six months” each month; EB-2 should move forward “up to two weeks” each month; and EB-3 is likely to continue to outpace EB-2, advancing “up to three weeks” each month

All Other Countries: EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 are all expected to remain current over the coming months

In a move reflective of the agency’s current approach to rulemaking and policy changes, US Citizenship and Immigration Services has provided less than one business day’s notice that it is almost doubling the popular “premium processing” fee that allows US employers to receive decisions on their petitions to sponsor foreign workers in a matter of days, instead of waiting the many months these petitions currently take to be processed at USCIS without the premium fee.

Continue Reading USCIS Almost Doubles Premium Processing Fee With Less Than One Business Day’s Notice to Employers

UPDATE – In October, USCIS will accept I-485 applications based on the Department of State’s more favorable Dates for Filing chart. If the applicant’s priority date is before the date listed in the Dates for Filing chart for the applicable preference category and country of birth, an I-485 application can be filed.  However, the case will not be adjudicated until the applicant’s priority date is current based on the Final Action Dates chart. Continue Reading Update to the October 2020 Visa Bulletin –A Deceivingly Slow Start to the New Fiscal Year

In the 10 weeks since we last wrote about international travel, some countries have moved to allow more fluid international travel.  For example, the United Kingdom has introduced a set of quarantine exceptions and the United States clarified who is eligible for exemptions to the Presidential Proclamations limiting visa issuance and travel.

Continue Reading COVID-19 UPDATE: Countries take steps to allow more international travel, but barriers remain

The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process, or if already pending, when the final step can be adjudicated.

Continue Reading September 2020 Visa Bulletin –An Unexciting End to the Fiscal Year

Foreign nationals are experiencing delays of more than a month in receiving approved work permits and green cards that are normally issued and mailed within days of approval.  Applicants are also experiencing extended delays in the time it takes USCIS to adjudicate these applications.  These delays have a major impact on foreign nationals and their US employers.

Continue Reading USCIS Document Production Delays Cause Major Inconvenience to Foreign Nationals and Their Employers

The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process, or if already pending, when the final step can be adjudicated.
Continue Reading August 2020 Visa Bulletin – EB-3 Advances Across all Countries (including China and India)