The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the January 2020 Visa Bulletin.
Final Action Dates for all employment-based categories see little movement for the month of January. In Section F of the Visa Bulletin, the DOS predicts potential monthly movement for employment-based categories. For the EB-1 category, rapid forward movement with the potential of becoming current is expected for persons in the worldwide category; advancement of up to three weeks is expected for persons born in China; and little to any advancement is expected for persons born in India. For the EB-2 category, a date will likely be imposed during the second half of the fiscal year for persons in the worldwide quota; advancement of up to one month is expected for persons born in China; and advancement of up to one week is expected for persons born in India. For the EB-3 category, a date will likely be imposed no later than March for persons in the worldwide quota; advancement of up to six weeks is expected for persons born in China; advancement of up to three weeks is expected for persons born in India; dates will remain at the worldwide date for persons born in Mexico; and advancement of up to one month is expected for persons born in the Philippines.
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 January, 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 January 2020. For more information, please visit the USCIS website.
The January 2020 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 October 1, 2018. These categories advanced by 2 months 16 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 22, 2017. This category advanced by 7 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 July 1, 2015. This category advanced by 9 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 18, 2009. This category advanced by 3 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 December 1, 2015. This category advanced by 30 days.
- 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 15, 2018. This category advanced by 14 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 August 8, 2017. This category advanced by 17 days.
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 22, 2014. This category advanced by 7 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 8, 2016. This category advanced by 7 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 May 1, 2018. This category has advanced by 4 months.
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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.
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 remain unchanged.
- Persons in the EB-1 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of October 1, 2017. This category advanced by 1 month.
- 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 if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of January 1, 2019. These categories that were once current have retrogressed.
- 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 remains unchanged.
- 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 January 2020 can be found here.