January 2018 Visa Bulletin: Moderate Movement of Cutoff Dates

Overall movement in the January 2018 Visa Bulletin is modest. China (mainland born) and Other Workers, however, had the biggest movements.

Reading the January 2018 Visa Bulletin

The January 2018 Visa Bulletin shows both the Dates for Filing Visa Application and the Final Action Dates.

While the Dates for Filing Visa Application shows when immigrants can file their immigrant visas or applications for adjustments of status, the Application Final Action Dates shows when immigrant visas or applications for adjustments of status can be approved and permanent residence approved.

As such, foreign nationals who want to file applications for adjustment of status have to use the Final Action Dates unless indicated otherwise on the USCIS site.

In addition, in order to file for an EB (employment-based) adjustment application in the month of January 2018, individuals must have a priority date earlier than that stated in the visa bulletin. Of course, the date has to match the individual’s country and preference category.

Employment-Based Visa Dates :

Application Final Action Dates(Employment-Based Preference Cases) : 

EB-1: For the EB-1, the final action dates remained current for all chargeable nations including for China, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mexico, and the Philippines.

EB-2: For the EB-2, China witnessed a movement of about a month to August 8, 2013, while India’s priority date moved to November 22, 2008, which is a movement of 21 days. For the rest of the chargeabilityareas, the dates remained current.

EB-3: For the EB-3, the final action date for China advanced 5 weeks to April 15, 2014. The final action date for India also moved about 2 weeks to November 1, 2006. In a similar fashion, the cutoff date for the Philippines moved by 4 weeks to February 15, 2016. All other chargeable nations remained current.

EB-4: The final action date for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras advanced about 3 weeks to December 1, 2015. In a similar fashion, the cutoff date for Mexico moved to June 1, 2016. All other chargeable nations remained current.

Dates for Filing Visa Applications(Employment-Based Preference Cases)

EB-1: For the EB-1, the dates for filing cutoffs remained current for all chargeable nations including for China, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mexico, and the Philippines.

EB-2: For the EB-2, china’s date for filing is November 15, 2013, while the date for filing for India is February 8, 2009. The dates for filing cutoffs remained current for the rest of the chargeability areas.

EB-3: For the EB-3, the date for filing for China is September 1, 2015. The date for filing for India is January 1, 2008. All other chargeable nations remained current.

EB-4: The date for filing for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras is April 15, 2016. Just like the filing dates of the EB-3 applications, all other chargeable nations remained current.

 

Family-Sponsored Preference Visa Dates :

Final Action Dates (Family-Sponsored Preference Cases)

F1: For the F1, the final action dates advanced about 6 weeks to March 15, 2011, for all chargeable nations (including China, and India) except for Mexico, and the Philippines. For Mexico, the final action date is May 1, 1996. For the Philippines, the final action date remained the same at January 1, 2005.

F2A: For the F2A, Mexico had a movement of about a month and a week to January 1, 2016, while the rest of the chargeable world (including China, India, and the Philippines), the dates about a month and a week to February 1, 2016.

F2B: For the F2B, the final action dates advanced about a week to December 1, 2010, for all chargeable nations (including China, and India) except for Mexico, and the Philippines. For Mexico, the priority date is August 15, 1996. Just like for the F1 date, the F2B priority date remained the same at July 1, 2006, for the Philippines.

F3: Mexico had a priority date of June 15, 1996, while the Philippines had a final action date of March 15, 1995. Following the trend of the F1, and F2 preference cases, all the other chargeability areas including China and India had an F3 final action date of October 8, 2005. This is an advance of a month.

F4: With the F4 final action dates, Mexico had a movement of about 3 weeks to November 1, 1997, and the Philippines had a movement of a month to September 1, 1994, while India had a final action date of December 15, 2003. For the rest of the changeability areas including China, the final action date is June 22, 2004.

Dates for Filing Visa Applications (Family-Sponsored Preference Cases) : 

F1: For the F1 the dates for filing cutoff is January 1, 2012, for all chargeable nations (including China and India) except otherwise stated. For Mexico, it is November 1, 1994, and for the Philippines, it is October 1, 2007.

F2A: For the F1 the cutoff is November 1, 2016, for all chargeable nations (including China, India, Mexico and the Philippines).

F2B: For the F2B the dates for filing cutoff is September 1, 2011, for all chargeable nations (including China and India) except otherwise stated. For Mexico, it is January 1, 1997, and for the Philippines, it is September 1, 2007.

F3: The date for filing for all chargeable nations (including China and India) except otherwise stated is December 1, 2005. For Mexico, the date is October 1, 1995. Finally, for the Philippines, the date is June 15, 1995.

F4: The date for filing for all chargeable nations (including China) except otherwise stated is November 15, 2004. For India, the date is June 22, 2004. For Mexico, the date is February 8, 1998. Finally, for the Philippines, the date is March 1, 1995.

January 2018 Visa BulletinTables :

Employment-Based Visa Dates :

Final Action Dates (Employment-Based Preference Cases) : 

 

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES	China  (Mainland)	El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras	India	Mexico	The Philippines	All Other Chargeability Countries and Areas
EB-1	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-2	Aug 8, 2013 (was Jul 1, 2013)	Current	Nov  22, 2008 (was Nov  1, 2008)	Current	Current	Current
EB-3	Apr 15, 2014 (was Mar 8, 2014)	Current	Nov 1, 2006 (was Oct 15, 2006)	Current	Feb 15, 2016 (was Jan 15, 2016)	Current
Other Workers	December 22, 2006 (was July 1, 2006)	Current	November 1, 2006                (was October 15, 2006)	Current	Feb 15, 2016 (was Jan 15, 2016)	Current
EB-4	Current	Dec 1, 2015        (was Nov 8, 2015)	Current	Jun 1, 2016      (was April  22, 2016)	Current	Current

 

 

Dates for Filing Visa Application (Employment-Based Preference Cases)

 

EB	China (Mainland)	El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras	India	Mexico	The Philippines	All Other Chargeability  Countries & Areas
EB-1	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-2	November 15, 2013	Current	February 8, 2009	Current	Current	Current
EB-3	September 1, 2015	Current	January 1, 2008	Current	August 1, 2016	Current
Other Workers	June 1, 2008	Current	January 1, 2008	Current	August 1, 2016	Current
EB-4	Current	April 15, 2016	Current	Current	Current	Current

 

 

Family-Sponsored Preference Visa Dates

 

Final Action Dates (Family-Sponsored Preference Cases)

 

Family- Sponsored	China (Mainland)	India	Mexico	The Philippines	All Other Chargeability Countries and Areas
F1	March 15, 2011 (was February 1, 2011)	March 15, 2011 (was February 1, 2011)	May 1, 1996 (was April 1, 1996)	January 1, 2005 (remained the same)	March 15, 2011 (was February 1, 2011)
F2A	February 1, 2016 (was December 22, 2015)	February 1, 2016 (was December 22, 2015)	January 1, 2016 (was November 15, 2015)	February 1, 2016 (was December 22, 2015)	February 1, 2016 (was December 22, 2015)
F2B	December 1, 2010 (was November 22, 2010)	December 1, 2010 (was November 22, 2010)	August 15, 1996 (was July 22, 1996)	July 1, 2006 (remained the same)	December 1, 2010 (was November 22, 2010)
F3	October 8, 2005 (was September 8, 2005)	October 8, 2005 (was September 8, 2005)	June 15, 1995 (was May 22, 1995)	March 15, 1995 (was March 8, 1995)	October 8, 2005 (was September 8, 2005)
F4	June 22, 2004 (was June 8, 2004)	December 15, 2003 (was November 22, 2003)	November 1, 1997 (was October 8, 1997)	September 1, 1994 (was August 1, 1994)	June 22, 2004 (was June 8, 2004)

 

 

Dates for Filing Visa Applications (Family-Sponsored Preference Cases)

 

Family- Sponsored	China (Mainland)	India	Mexico	The Philippines	All Other Chargeability Countries and Areas
F1	January 1, 2012	January 1, 2012	November 1, 1994	October 1, 2007	January 1, 2012
F2A	November 1, 2016	November 1, 2016	November 1, 2016	November 1, 2016	November 1, 2016
F2B	September 1, 2011	September 1, 2011	January 1, 1997	September 1, 2007	September 1, 2011
F3	December 1, 2005	December 1, 2005	October 1, 1995	June 15, 1995	December 1, 2005
F4	November 15, 2004	June 22, 2004	February 8, 1998	March 1, 1995	November 15, 2004

Sources

1. Travel.state.gov. (2018). Visa Bulletin For January 2018.