October Visa Bulletin Update: USCIS to Honor Dates for Filing for Employment-Based Categories Next Month
September 24, 2020
At a Glance
USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment applications in October from foreign nationals with a priority date that is earlier than the Dates for Filing listed in the State Department's October Visa Bulletin.
Employment-Based Priority Date Cut-offs for October 2020
To be eligible to file an employment-based adjustment application in October, employer-sponsored foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country.
USCIS has chosen the Dates for Filing chart for employment-based applications.
The State Department released its October Visa Bulletin earlier today.
USCIS Cutoff Dates for October 2020
EB-1
China: September 1, 2020
India: September 1, 2020
All other countries: Current
EB-2
China: October 1, 2016
India: May 15, 2011
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: June 1, 2018
India: January 1, 2015
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Other Workers
China: October 1, 2008
India: January 1, 2015
All other countries: Current
EB-4
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: February 1, 2018
All other countries: Current
EB-5
China: December 15, 2015
All other countries: Current
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.
Explore more at Fragomen
Media mentions
Video
Senior Associate Isabel Schnitzler highlights key considerations for managing outbound assignments from Germany, including planning, visa requirements and coordinated global support.
Video
Partner Jack Kim discusses one of many immigration pathways for staying in Canada post-graduation, the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
Blog post
Senior Client Services Manager Caroline Kanzara-Obinwa explores how global talent shortages and workforce mobility are shaping the future of critical minerals and the energy transition.
Video
In FC Podcast episode #15, Partner Rick Lamanna, Senior Associate Jake Paul Minster, Senior US Consular Manager Brian Simmons, and Senior Manager Sergio Flores discuss US entry considerations for the 2026 World Cup, including visa options, policy changes and planning timelines.
Media mentions
Partner Charlotte Wills explains that treating compliance as a strategic function helps organisations anticipate risk, manage costs and strengthen workforce planning.
Awards
Partner Karolina Schiffter is ranked Band 1 in Immigration in the inaugural Chambers & Partners Poland guide, recognizing her leadership in advancing Fragomen’s Poland practice.
Media mentions
Manager Karnig Dukmajian
Media mentions
Senior Manager Géraldine Renaudière discusses planning for French residence and citizenship applications, including fees, translations and language or civic tests.
Video
Senior US Consular Manager Brian Simmons outlines key visa, ESTA and entry considerations for travelers planning to visit the US for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Media mentions
Manager Simon Magava and Immigration Consultant Inderjit Kaur examine sponsor licence revocations in the UK social care sector and their impact on workforce stability.
Blog post
Director Raj Mann explores how demographic change, artificial intelligence and global trade shifts are reshaping labour markets, workforce strategy and immigration policy in 2026.
Media mentions
Video
Senior Associate Isabel Schnitzler highlights key considerations for managing outbound assignments from Germany, including planning, visa requirements and coordinated global support.
Video
Partner Jack Kim discusses one of many immigration pathways for staying in Canada post-graduation, the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
Blog post
Senior Client Services Manager Caroline Kanzara-Obinwa explores how global talent shortages and workforce mobility are shaping the future of critical minerals and the energy transition.
Video
In FC Podcast episode #15, Partner Rick Lamanna, Senior Associate Jake Paul Minster, Senior US Consular Manager Brian Simmons, and Senior Manager Sergio Flores discuss US entry considerations for the 2026 World Cup, including visa options, policy changes and planning timelines.
Media mentions
Partner Charlotte Wills explains that treating compliance as a strategic function helps organisations anticipate risk, manage costs and strengthen workforce planning.
Awards
Partner Karolina Schiffter is ranked Band 1 in Immigration in the inaugural Chambers & Partners Poland guide, recognizing her leadership in advancing Fragomen’s Poland practice.
Media mentions
Manager Karnig Dukmajian
Media mentions
Senior Manager Géraldine Renaudière discusses planning for French residence and citizenship applications, including fees, translations and language or civic tests.
Video
Senior US Consular Manager Brian Simmons outlines key visa, ESTA and entry considerations for travelers planning to visit the US for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Media mentions
Manager Simon Magava and Immigration Consultant Inderjit Kaur examine sponsor licence revocations in the UK social care sector and their impact on workforce stability.
Blog post
Director Raj Mann explores how demographic change, artificial intelligence and global trade shifts are reshaping labour markets, workforce strategy and immigration policy in 2026.