April 2020 Visa Bulletin: Modest Employment-Based Cut-Off Date Advancement in Most Categories
March 13, 2020
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At a Glance
- All EB-1 countries except for China and India will advance by three months to June 1, 2019. EB-1 China will advance by one week to June 8, 2017, while EB-1 India will advance by two months to May 1, 2015.
- EB-2 China will advance by two weeks to September 1, 2015, and EB-2 India will advance by three days to May 25, 2009.
- EB-3 Worldwide will remain retrogressed at January 1, 2017, while EB-3 China will advance by three weeks to April 15, 2016 and EB-3 India will advance by one week to January 22, 2009.
- EB-5 China will remain at May 15, 2015, while EB-5 India and EB-5 Vietnam will advance to January 1, 2019 and February 8, 2017, respectively.
A closer look
According to the State Department’s April Visa Bulletin, cutoff dates for issuance of an immigrant visa will be as follows:
- EB-1: All countries except for China and India will advance by three months to June 1, 2019. China will advance by one week to June 8, 2017, while India will advance by two months, to May 1, 2015.
- EB-2: China will advance by two weeks to September 1, 2015, and India will advance by three days to May 25, 2009. All other countries will remain current.
- EB-3 Professional and Skilled Workers: All countries except India and China will remain at January 1, 2017. Cutoff dates for China and India will advance, with China moving ahead by three weeks to April 15, 2016, and India moving ahead by one week to January 22, 2009.
- EB-5: Most countries will remain current. China will remain at May 15, 2015; India will advance by ten weeks to January 1, 2019; and Vietnam will advance by just over three weeks to February 8, 2017.
Cutoff dates in the Dates for Filing chart for April will remain unchanged from March 2020.
In the coming days, USCIS is expected to announce on its own Visa Bulletin web page the cutoff dates for acceptance of adjustment of status applications next month. That announcement will clarify whether USCIS will accept adjustment applications based on the Dates for Filing chart or the Final Action chart.
Final Action cut-off dates for April 2020
EB-1
China: June 8, 2017
India: May 1, 2015
All other countries: June 1, 2019
EB-2
China: September 1, 2015
India: May 25, 2009
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: April 15, 2016
India: January 22, 2009
All other countries: January 1, 2017
EB-3 Other Workers
China: July 1, 2008
India: January 22, 2009
All other countries: January 1, 2017
EB-4
El Salvador, Guatemala Honduras: July 15, 2016
Mexico: January 22, 2018
All other countries: Current
EB-5
China: May 15, 2015
India: January 1, 2019
Vietnam: February 8, 2017
All other countries: Current
Dates for Filing cut-off dates for April 2020
EB-1
China: October 1, 2017
India: March 15, 2017
All other countries: Current
EB-2
China: August 1, 2016
India: July 1, 2009
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: March 1, 2017
India: February 1, 2010
All other countries: January 1, 2019
EB-3 Other Workers
China: August 1, 2008
India: February 1, 2010
All other countries: January 1, 2019
EB-4
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: August 15, 2016
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.
