JULY 2016 VISA BULLETIN
NO MAJOR RETROGRESSION OR ADVANCEMENT FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED CATEGORIES.
The Department of State (DOS) has issued its July 2016 Visa Bulletin with no major retrogression or advancement for the EB-1 (Priority Workers), EB-2 (Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability), and EB-3 (Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers) categories.
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will only accept cases for the following:
EB-1-Worldwide: Priority date is current.
EB-2-Worldwide: Priority date is current except:
India: Priority date of November 1, 2004,
Advancement of one month.
China: Priority date of January 1, 2010,
No advancement.
EB-3-Worldwide: Priority date of March 1, 2016,
Advancement of two weeks.
India: Priority date of October 22, 2004,
Advancement of one month.
China: Priority date of January 1, 2010,
No advancement.
Philippines: Priority date of February 15, 2009,
Advancement of three months and two weeks.
Monthly Check-In with Chief of Visa Control:
Charlie Oppenheim, Chief of Visa Control and Reporting Division for the U.S. Department of State (DOS), is responsible for analyzing and predicting visa availability for the various immigrant categories.
Charlie has predicted a cut-off date for EB-1 China and India will be imposed by August or September 2016 due to high demand. Charlie anticipates that EB-1 for China and India will return to being current in October 2016.
Charlie also reported that EB-2 and EB-3 for Chinese nationals will not have any final action date movement after the major retrogression in the June 2016 Visa Bulletin. For Indian nationals, the final EB-2 action date will remain one week out from India’s EB-3 date. He predicted continued slow progression in India’s EB-3 category.
As to the EB-2 category for the rest of the world, which has been current all year, a cutoff date likely will be imposed by September 2016.
NOTE:
The USCIS will only accept employment-based adjustment of status applications from foreign nationals with a priority date that is current for final action (not Dates for Filing).
Please contact SW Law Group if you have any further questions regarding these developments.