Business Immigration Insights

The State Department has published the March Visa Bulletin.  After most priority dates froze in February, March promises modest thaws in all regions and most categories.

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 March VB –

India progresses in all categories except EB-1:

• EB-1 holds at February 1, 2022
• EB-2 advances5 months to December 1, 2012
• EB-3 Professionals and EB-3 Other Workers advance5 months to February 1, 2013

China advances in two categories:

• EB-1 remains stalled at November 8, 2022
• EB-2 advances 16 days to May 8, 2020
• EB-3 Professionals advances another full month to August 1, 2020
• EB-3 Other Workers stays stuck at January 1, 2017

All Other Countries, which did not move at all in February, progresses in two categories:

• EB-1 remains current
• EB-2 advances5 months to May 15, 2023
• EB-3 Professionals holds at December 1, 2022
• EB-3 Other Workers advances almost 2 months to February 1, 2021
  
  

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