This is the analysis of the current trends and the future projections for the several immigrant preference categories for October 2016 (beginning of the fiscal year). The recently published monthly US visa bulletin (for the month of October) has been received well by many employees who have been waiting for the priority dates in order to apply for lawful permanent resident status.
Preference Allocation For Employment-Based Immigrants
EB-1 (The first-priority employment-based preference category)
In the month of October 2016, the EB-1final action date (FAD) for all returned to current. Because of the short imposition of the final action date in China and India, it is projected that there will be a high use in October 2016. The EB-1 category is expected to continue being current for all countries (including India and China)for the predicted future.
The U.S. Department of Statewillmonitor the EB-1 India and China carefully during the 2nd half of the fiscal year if demand for the EB-1 is still high.
EB-2 (The second-priority employment-based preference category)
The second-priority employment-based preference category (EB-2) worldwide has become current in October except for India and China. The U.S. Department of State projects that theEB-2 (The second-priority employment-based preference category)will remain current for these countries through the first half of the fiscal year. Although the EB-2 lags behind the EB-3 in recent months, this is no longer so for all chargeability areas except China.
In addition, the final action date for EB-2 petitions charged to India has progressed from February 22, 2005, to January 15, 2007. This is nearly by nearly two years. This is more recent than EB-3 India’s final action date of March 1, 2005.
Whereas EB-2 China’s FADhas also moved forward by just over two years – from January 1, 2010, to February 15, 2012. Even so, this remains just over a year behind the final action date for EB-3 China of January 22, 2013. Because of this, Chinese-born employees who wish to apply for green cards should consider downgrading to EB-3 to apply for the green card sooner
EB-3 (The third-priority employment-based preference category)
This category had an overall forward movement in October 2016. EB-3China’s FAD has moved forward by three years – from January 1, 2010, to January 22, 2013. The Philippines also saw a significant jump from July 1, 2010, to December 1, 2010.
Whereas EB-3 India’s FAD had much slower forward movementof14 days -from February 15, 2005, to March 1, 2005. The U.S. Department of State projects that the final action date for EB-3 India will continue to advance slowly over the foreseeable future. Meanwhile, the priority date for all other countries has moved forward just one month – from May 1, 2016, to June 1, 2016.
EB-4 and Certain Religious Worker (SR) Preference Categories
The final action dates for EB-4 India and EB-4 Mexico is current in October and will remain current until at least late spring/early summer 2017.
EB-4 and Certain Religious Worker (SR) Preference Categories
The final action dates for EB-4 India and EB-4 Mexico is current in October and will remain current until at least late spring/early summer 2017.
EB-4 El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras final action date moved January 1, 2010, to June 15, 2015, and all other countries’ EB-4 is current.
The final action date for EB-4 religious workers is unavailable (U) in October.
Preference Allocation For Family-Sponsored Immigrants
F-1: In October 2016, the final action date for F-1 Worldwide and F-1China moved from September 15, 2009, to September 22, 2009.
While F-1 Mexicomoved a few days from March 22, 1995, to April 01, 1995. The final action date of F-1Philippines moved a month from July 1, 2005, to August 1, 2005. The final action date for F-1India has progressed from September 15, 2009, to September 22, 2009.
F-2A: The final action date for F-2AChina and f24 worldwide moved from November 15, 2014, to December 22, 2014, in the month of October. Also, the final action date for F-2AMexico moved from September 1, 2014, to December 1, 2014. The U.S. Department of State projects F-2A Mexico to drop behind the rest of the world’s final action dates during the fiscal year.
The final action date for F-2APhilippines and Indiamoved is just over a month from November 15, 2014, to December 22, 14.
F-2B : Both the final action dates of F-2B Mexico and F-2B Philippines did not move much. The final action date of F-2BMexicofor October is October 1, 1995 from the previous September 15, 1995. While the final action date for F-2BPhilippines moved from December 1, 2005, to January 1, 2006.
The final action date for F-2BChina and all other countries moved from February 1, 2010, to March 15, 2010.
F-3: The final action date for F-3 India has progressed from December 1, 2004, to December 22, 2004. In addition, F-3Philippines moved from June 15, 1994to July 8, 1994. the-3Mexicoprogressed just a few days – from November 15, 1994, to November 22, 1994. The final action date for F-3Chinahas also moved forward by a couple of days – from December 1, 2004, to December 22, 2004.
Also, the final action date for F-3 worldwide moved forward from December 1, 2004, to December 22, 2004.
F4: The final action date for F4 Mexico had a slow movement of just a few dates – from April 22, 1997, to May 1, 1997. While the final action date for F4 Philippines moved from March 1, 1993, to April 15, 1993.
In addition, the final action date for F4 charged to India has advanced from January 1, 2001, to December 1, 2002, and will fall behind the final action date for F4 worldwide for the foreseeable future.
While final action date for F4 China has also moved by just a few months – from January 1, 2003, to May 1, 2003.
Finally, the final action date for F4All Chargeability Areas except those mentioned moved from October 8, 2003, to November 1, 2003.
The Visa Bulletin and its effects on immigrants
The Visa Bulletin is a monthly statement published by the United States Department of State that summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers and updates the movement of immigrant visa cut-off dates each month. The main function of the bulletin is to provide immigrants that are affected by the ‘quota’ system with the updated waiting list known as the Priority Date(Final Action Date). This determines visa availability for immigrants waiting to file for employment-based or family-sponsored preference adjustment of status thus qualifying them to undertake the final steps in the process of becoming U.S. permanent residents. The Visa Bulletin is made available online.
Most immigrants seeking to enter the U.S. do so through sponsorship either by a U.S. citizen or permanent resident relatives or through employment or investment aims. These U.S. immigrant visas are limited by numerical (“quota”) restrictions. This is based on the immigrants’ country of birth and the preference category. The monthly visa bulletins are based on projections that take into account previous immigration figures and statistics. With this data, the USCIS, in coordination with U.S. Department of State project the number of immigrants, that needs a waiting list and this information is used in the publication of the visa bulletin.
The US visa bulletin priority dates is broken down into the following categories
- Preference Allocation for Family-sponsored immigrants
- Preference Allocation for Employment-based immigrants
- Diversity immigrants
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