Visa Bulletin June 2018

Earlier this month, the Department of State released the June visa bulletin. The monthly visa bulletin shows foreign nationals when they are eligible for a green card by comparing the priority date on their Form I-797 to the cutoff dates provided in the visa bulletin. After substantial movement in the April bulletin, movement across all categories has stalled for both May and June.

Employment-Based Preference Petitions

EB-1 Category

For the June 2018 visa bulletin, January 1, 2012 is the EB-1 final action dates for both India and China (Mainland) (mainland). For the rest of the Chargeability world, the EB-1 final action date is current.

The filing date for the EB-1 category is current for all chargeability areas of the world.

EB-2 Category

The EB-2 final action date for India moves forward by just 4 days to December 26, 2008, EB-2 final action date for India is expected to reach a 2009 date this fiscal year. For China (Mainland), the EB-2 final action date stay put at September 1, 2014. Except for India, and China (Mainland), the EB-2 final action date cutoff is current for all other applicants.

The EB-2 filing date for China (Mainland) has remained at February 1, 2015. The filing date for India is the same at April 1, 2009. For the rest of the chargeability areas are current.

EB-3 Category

The EB-3 final action date for India is the same as the previous month’s date- May 1, 2008, and for China (Mainland), the EB-3 final action date is June 1, 2015, while final action date for other worker’s category was May 1, 2007. Except for nationals of India, and China (Mainland), the EB-3 final action date is current for all other applicants. A sustained low demand of EB-3 India could lead to a quick advancement of this category.

The EB-3 filing date for Indian nationals is September 1, 2008, while the date of filing for China (Mainland) is January 1, 2016. For the rest of the world, the filing date is current.

EB-5 Category

The EB-5 final action date for China (Mainland) advanced by about a week to August 1, 2014. For Vietnamese nationals, the EB-5 final action date is the same – August 1, 2014. For the rest of the world, the EB-5 final action date is current.

The EB-5 filing date for China (Mainland) is September 2, 2014, the same as the previous month. For the rest, the EB-5 filing dates are current for the month of June.

EB-4 Category

The EB-4 final action date for Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador is December 15, 2015. For Mexican nationals, the EB-4 final action date is October 22, 2016. Although Charles Oppenheim (Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, DOS) predicted a regression, the EB-4 Mexico remains constant. The date may regress in the future, though. For the rest of the world, the EB-4 final action date is current. EB-4 India, in particular, has had a low demand; as such, it may not reach the annual limit this fiscal year.

The EB-4 filing date for Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador is April 15, 2016. For the rest, the EB-4 filing dates are current for the month of June.

Family-Based Preference Categories

For family-based preference dates, overall, the dates remain constant or moves marginally with a few exceptions. The Final action date for Mexico’s F1 category moves by seven months to June 1, 1997. This is because the Agent of Choice letters in this category has a low response rate bringing about rapid movement of the date.

Mexico’s F4 category is the only one to remain constant at January 8, 1988.

Refer to the charts for all the cutoff dates (both final action dates and dates of filing) for June 2018.

For June 2018, family-based preference filings will use the Dates for Filing, while employment-based cases use the Final Action Dates.

Bulletin Cutoff Dates, June 2018

EB Preference Cases – Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing, June 2018

Family-Sponsored Preference Cases – Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing, June 2018

Sources:

1. Travel.state.gov. (2018). Visa Bulletin For May 2018.
2. USCIS. (2018). Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin.