December 2017 Visa Bulletin: Modest Advancements for EB-2 China and India and EB-3 China

---

Executive Summary

• EB-2 China will advance by two weeks, to July 1, 2013.
• EB-2 India will advance by three weeks, to November 1, 2008.
• EB-3 cutoff dates for professionals and skilled workers will advance by three months for China, to March 8, 2014, and will remain unchanged for India.

---

According to the State Department’s December Visa Bulletin, cutoff dates for issuance of an immigrant visa will advance as follows:

• EB-2: China will advance by two weeks, to July 1, 2013. India will advance by three weeks, to November 1, 2008.
• EB-3 (Professional and Skilled Workers): China will advance by five weeks, to March 8, 2014. There will be no advancement for India. 
• EB-3 (Other Workers): China will advance by three months, to July 1, 2006.  There will be no advancement for India. 
• EB-5: China will advance by two weeks, to July 15, 2014, for the Regional Center and Non-Regional Center programs. 

In the coming days, USCIS is expected to announce on its own Visa Bulletin web page whether it will accept adjustment of status applications from foreign nationals with a priority date that is current for filing eligibility in December. Dates for filing will remain unchanged from November.

Possible Unavailability for the EB-5 Regional Center Program

The EB-5 Regional Center program is set to expire on December 8, 2017 under a temporary federal spending measure signed into law on September 8, 2017.  Immigrant visas in this subcategory will become unavailable on December 8 unless Congress reauthorizes the program or passes another temporary spending measure.  The EB-5 non-Regional Center program will not be affected.

FINAL ACTION CUT-OFF DATES FOR DECEMBER 2017

EB-1
Current for all countries

EB-2
China: July 1, 2013
India: November 1, 2008
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: March 8, 2014
India: October 15, 2006
Philippines: January 15, 2016
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Other Workers
China: July 1, 2006
India: October 15, 2006
Philippines: January 15, 2016
All other countries: Current

EB-4
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: November 8, 2015
Mexico: April 22, 2016
All other countries: Current

EB-5
China: July 15, 2014
Current for all other countries and subcategories

FILING ELIGIBILITY CUT-OFF DATES FOR DECEMBER 2017

EB-1
Current for all countries

EB-2
China: November 15, 2013
India: February 8, 2009
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: September 1, 2015
India: January 1, 2008
Philippines: August 1, 2016
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Other Workers
China: June 1, 2008
India: January 1, 2008
Philippines: August 1, 2016
All other countries: Current

EB-4
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: April 15, 2016
All other countries: Current

EB-5
China: October 1, 2014
Current for all other countries and subcategories

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.