Business Immigration Insights

The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process, or if already pending, when the final step can be adjudicated.

Below is a summary of the February Visa Bulletin, including Final Action Dates and changes from the previous month.

China:  No movement in any category. EB-1 freezes at July 1, 2022; EB-2 at January 1, 2020; EB-3 at September 1, 2020, and EB-3 Other Workers at January 1, 2017.

India:  EB-1 holds at September 1, 2020, and EB-2 at March 1, 2012. EB-3 and EB-3 Other Workers progress 1 month to July 1, 2012.

All Other Countries:  EB-1 remains current; EB-2 inches ahead 2 weeks to November 15, 2022; EB-3 advances 1 month to September 1, 2022; EB-3 Other Workers stalls at September 1, 2020 (May 1, 2020, for the Philippines).

USCIS will accept I-485 applications in February based on the Department of State’s more favorable Dates for Filing chart, which allows from 1 to 10 months of additional filing time depending on nationality and category:

• Chinese nationals gain 6 months to file in EB‑1; 6 months in EB-2; 10 months in EB‑3; and 5 months in EB-3 Other Workers.
• Indian nationals gain 4 months in EB-1; 2.5 months in EB-2; and 1 month in both EB-3 and EB-3 Other Workers.

• Nationals of all other countries may file their I-485s in advance of their priority dates being current by 3 months in EB-2; 5 months in EB-3 (4 months for the Philippines); and 3.5 months in Other Workers (only 2 weeks for the Philippines).