The United States Department of State has recently published Visa Bulletin for March 2016 which include availability of family-based and employment-based immigrant numbers for “Application Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications.”
In the Final Action chart, the cutoff date for EB-2 India moves forward by 2.5 months, while the cutoff date for EB-3 India advances one month only. The cutoff date for EB-2 China moves up by 5 months, while the cutoff date for EB-3 China advances 8 months. The cutoff date for EB-3 for all chargeability areas except those listed, which includes Japanese-born individuals, advances to January 1, 2016.
Please see the chart below for the employment-based Final Action Dates.
| Employment- Based | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | CHINA – mainland born | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | C | C | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 01AUG12 | 15OCT08 | C | C |
| 3rd | 01JAN16 | 01JUN13 | 15JUL04 | 01JAN16 | 15MAR08 |
| Other Workers | 01JAN16 | 01FEB07 | 15JUL04 | 01JAN16 | 15MAR08 |
| 4th | C | C | C | C | C |
| Certain Religious Workers | C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) |
C | 22JAN14 | C | C | C |
| 5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) |
C | 22JAN14 | C | C | C |
As of February 8, 2016, USCIS has not advised whether in March 2016, it will accept adjustment of status applications for family- or employment-based petitions based on filing dates, rather than final action dates. USCIS anticipates that this information will be released soon.
https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/law-and-policy/bulletin/2016/visa-bulletin-for-march-2016.html