Special Alert: May 2017 Visa Bulletin Released

The U.S. Department of State released the May 2017 Visa Bulletin today.

Next month’s Visa Bulletin reports slight advancements from the April 2017 Final Action Dates Chart. Very little change is seen in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories for China, these categories have advanced by 24 days and 1 month, respectively. Similarly the EB-2 and EB-3 categories for India sees little to no advancement, with only the EB-3 category advancing by 1 day. Additionally, the EB-3 category for the Philippines has advanced by 3 months, while the EB-3 category for Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the worldwide quota have advanced by 1 month.

Interestingly, for the first time this fiscal year (since October 2016), the May 2017 Visa Bulletin reports a few changes in the Dates for Filing Chart. The EB-2 and EB-3 categories for China advanced by 7 months and 1 year, respectively, while The EB-2 category for India retrogressed by 2 months, and the EB-3 category for India advanced by 9 months. Additionally the EB-3 category for the Philippines advanced by 10 months, while the EB-2 category for Philippines, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and the worldwide quota remain unchanged.

PLEASE NOTE: For the month of April, USCIS has made a determination to use the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based categories. At this time, USCIS has not announced whether it will be accepting pre-filings for any employment-based categories for the month of May. EIG will continue to monitor the situation and provide an update when USCIS has made a determination. For more information, please visit the USCIS website.


The May 2017 Visa Bulletin can be further summarized below:

Application Final Action Dates (dates when visas may be issued)

EB-1
  • All countries are current. This category remains unchanged..

EB-2

  • Persons in the EB-2 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of February 8, 2013This category advanced by 24 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 June 22, 2008This category remains unchanged. 
  • All persons in the worldwide quota, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the Philippines are current. This  category remains unchanged. 
EB-3
  • Persons in the EB-3 category and born in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, or in the worldwide quota are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of March 15, 2017This category advanced by 1 month.
  • Persons in the EB-3 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of October 1, 2014This category advanced by 1 month and 16 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 March 25, 2005This category advanced by 1 day. 
  • 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 January 1, 2013This category advanced by 3 months 17 days. 
EB-4 
  • Persons in the EB-4 category and born in Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of July 15, 2015. This category remains unchanged.
  • Persons in the worldwide quota, China, India, and the Philippines are current. This category remains 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 June 1, 2014This category advanced by 10 days.
  • Persons in the worldwide quota, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Mexico, and the Philippines are current. This category remains unchanged. 

Dates for Filing Applications (earliest dates when applicants may be able to apply)

EB-1

  • All countries are current. This category remains unchanged.
EB-2
  • Persons in the EB-2 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of October 1, 2013This category advanced by 7 months. 
  • Persons in the EB-2 category and born in India are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of February 1, 2009.  This category retrogressed by 2 months. 
  • Persons in the worldwide quota, Mexico, and the Philippines are current. This category remains unchanged.
EB-3
  • Persons in the EB-3 category and born in China are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of September 1, 2015. This category advanced by 1 year and 4 months. 
  • Persons in the EB-3 category and born in India are current if they have a priority date before the cut-off date of April 22, 2006This category advanced by 9 months. 
  • 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 July 1, 2014This category advanced by 10 months. 
  • Persons in the worldwide quota and Mexico are current. This category remains unchanged.
EB-4 
  • All countries are current. This category remains 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 September 01, 2014. This category advanced by 2 months.
  • Persons in the worldwide quota, India, Mexico, and the Philippines are current. This category remains unchanged.
The complete Visa Bulletin for May 2017 can be found here.