Business Immigration Insights

The State Department has published the June Visa Bulletin.  In a reversal from May, which saw virtually no advances, priority dates do move forward in two categories for China and three for all other countries, although India remains stagnant.

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

The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the U.S. Department of State, n collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).  If your priority date (that is, the date you were placed 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 are applying at a U.S. embassy abroad) or your I-485 adjustment of status application (if you are 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 June Visa Bulletin:

As noted above, no changes from May for India:

• EB-1 halts at February 15, 2022
• EB-2 freezes at January 1, 2013
• EB-3 Professionals and EB-3 Other Workers pause at April 15, 2013

Two categories move forward for China:

• EB-1 halts at November 8, 2022
• EB-2 advances 2 months to December 1, 2020
• EB-3 Professionals advances 3 weeks to at November 22, 2020
• EB-3 Other Workers stalls at April 1, 2017

All Other Countries experiences the most forward movement:

• EB-1 remains current
• EB-2 advances almost 4 months to October 15, 2023
• EB-3 Professionals advances more than 1 month to February 8, 2023
• EB-3 Other Workers advances 1 month to June 22, 2021

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