Business Immigration Insights

The State Department has published the February Visa Bulletin.  As the title of this piece indicates, there was some movement in two India categories – under 3 weeks in EB-2 and just 1 week in EB-3 – but we’ll take it.

Below is a summary that includes Final Action Dates and changes from the previous month, but first – some background if you’re new to these blog posts.  If you’re an old hand at the Visa Bulletin, feel free to skip the next paragraph.

The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the US Department of State (in collaboration with US Citizenship and Immigration Services).  If your priority date (that is, the date you got a place on the waiting list) is earlier than the cutoff date listed in the Bulletin for your nationality and category, that means a visa number is available for you that month.  That, in turn, means you can submit your DS-260 immigrant visa application (if you’re applying at a US embassy abroad) or your I-485 adjustment of status application (if you’re applying with USCIS).  If you already submitted that final step and your category then retrogressed, it means the embassy or USCIS can now approve your application because a visa number is again available.

Now for the February VB –

India progressed again this month, albeit more modestly than last month:

• EB-1 holds at February 1, 2022
• EB-2 advances 2 weeks to October 15, 2012
• EB-3 Professionals and EB-3 Other Workers advance 2 weeks to December 15, 2012

For China, all categories except one stall:

• EB-1 stalls at November 8, 2022
• EB-2 at April 22, 2020
• EB-3 Other Workers at January 1, 2017
• But EB-3 Professionals advances a full month to July 1, 2020

For All Other Countries, all categories freeze:

• EB-1 remains current
• EB-2 stays at April 1, 2023
• EB-3 Professionals holds at December 1, 2022
• EB-3 Other Workers remains at December 8, 2020

 
NOTE 1:  USCIS will accept I-485 applications in February based on Final Action Dates, not the more favorable Dates for Filing chart.