The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the December 2019 Visa Bulletin.
Final Action Dates for all employment-based categories see little movement for the month of December. In Section E, the Department of State indicates that there has been a steadily increasing level of Employment-based demand for Adjustment of Status. Due to the current trends and demands, the Department of State predicts that that final action dates in the Employment Second, Third, and Third Other Worker preference categories to be established as early as January 2020 to hold number use within Fiscal Year 2020 limits. Dates for filing Employment-Based Visa Applications are now current for persons born in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, the Philippines, or categorized within the worldwide quota classified under the EB-1 category.
The EIG team is closely monitoring changes to the monthly visa bulletin and determining the best plan of action for each case. We will be reaching out to individuals whose priority date will be current next month in order to initiate the next step of the green card process. We have also summarized frequently asked questions in our August 8th Issue of the EIG Dispatch. We encourage you to read this article to have a better grasp of the visa bulletin and to understand what your priority date means.
PLEASE NOTE: For the month of December, USCIS has made a determination to accept applications based on the Dates for Filing chart (Chart B) for the employment-based categories and applications based on the Dates for Filing (Chart B) for the family-based categories. Persons in the F2A category may file using the Final Action Dates chart (Chart A) for October 2019. For more information, please visit the USCIS website.
The December 2019 Visa Bulletin can be found here and is summarized below:
Application Final Action Dates (dates when visas may be issued)
- Persons in the EB-1 category and born in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, the Philippines, Vietnam, or in the worldwide quota are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of July 15, 2018. These categories advanced by 1 months 14 days.
- Persons in the EB-1 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of May 15, 2017. This category advanced by 3 months 14 days.
- Persons in the EB-1 category and born in India are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of January 1, 2015. This category remains unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-2 category and born in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, the Philippines, Vietnam, or in the worldwide quota are current. These categories remain
unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-2 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of June 22, 2015. This category advanced by 3 months 7 days.
- Persons in the EB-2 category and born in India are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of May 15, 2009. This category advanced by 2 days.
- Persons in the EB-3 category and born in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Vietnam, or in the worldwide quota are current. These categories remain
unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-3 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of November 1, 2015. This category remains unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-3 category and born in India are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of January 1, 2009. This category remains unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-3 category and born in the Philippines are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of March 1, 2018. This category advanced by 28 days.
- Persons in the EB-4 category born in China, India, the Philippines, Vietnam, or in the worldwide quota are current. These categories remain unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-4 category and born in El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of July 1, 2016. This category has remained unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-4 category and born in Mexico are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of July 22, 2017. This category has remained unchanged.
EB-5
- Persons in the EB-5 Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of November 15, 2014. This category advanced by 14 days.
- Persons in the EB-5 Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) category and born in Vietnam are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of December 1, 2016. This category advanced by 14 days.
- Persons in the EB-5 Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) category and born in India are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of January 1, 2018. This category has advanced by 24 days.
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- Persons in the EB-5 Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) category and born in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, the Philippines, or in the worldwide quota are current. These categories remain
unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-5 Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) category and born in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, the Philippines, or in the worldwide quota are current. These categories remain
Dates for Filing Applications (earliest dates when applicants may be able to apply)
EB-1
- Persons in the EB-1 category and born in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, the Philippines, or in the worldwide quota are current. These categories advanced by 4 months 17 days.
- Persons in the EB-1 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of September 1, 2017. This category remains unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-1 category and born in India are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of March 15, 2017. This category remains unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-2 category and born in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, the Philippines, or in the worldwide quota are current. These categories remain
unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-2 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of August 1, 2016. This category remains unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-2 category and born in India are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of July 1, 2009. This category remains unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-3 category and born in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, the Philippines or in the worldwide quota are current. These categories remain unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-3 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of March 1, 2017. This category remains unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-3 category and born in India are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of February 1, 2010. This category remains unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-4 category and born in China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, or in the worldwide quota are current. These categories remain
unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-4 category and born in El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of August 15, 2016. This category remains unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-5 Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of May 15, 2015. This category advanced by 4 months 14 days.
- Persons in the worldwide quota, India, Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, or the Philippines are current. These categories remain unchanged.
The complete Visa Bulletin for December 2019 can be found here.