December Visa Bulletin Update: USCIS to Honor Dates for Filing Again Next Month
November 26, 2019

At a Glance
In December, USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment applications from foreign nationals with a priority date that is earlier than the Dates for Filing listed in the State Department's December Visa Bulletin.
Employment-Based Priority Date Cut-offs for December 2019
To be eligible to file an employment-based adjustment application in December, employer-sponsored foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country.
For the third consecutive month, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has chosen to honor the Department of State Dates for Filing chart, rather than the Final Action Date chart. The December Dates for Filing makes EB-1 current for all countries except India and China, and advances EB-5 China by more than four months. Other cutoff dates in the Dates for Filing chart, which are more favorable than the Final Action dates, remain unchanged from last month.
DATES FOR FILING CUT-OFF DATES FOR DECEMBER 2019
EB-1
China: September 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: Current
EB-3 Other Workers
China: August 1, 2008
India: February 1, 2010
All other countries: Current
EB-4
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: August 15, 2016
All other countries: Current
EB-5
China: May 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
Video
Rick Lamanna, Jake Paul Minster and Lunga Mani discuss Africa’s path to the 2026 World Cup.
Media mentions
Partner Louise Haycock notes that the UK’s new fast-track residency route for high earners could affect how businesses plan for immigration costs.
Blog post
Senior Manager Zaur Gasimov outlines Georgia’s stricter residence-permit requirements and enhanced monitoring measures introduced under the country’s 2025 immigration reforms.
Media mentions
Senior Manager Jonathan Hill explains why more UK universities are on UKVI student visa action plans and how extended timeframes help them address compliance issues.
Media mentions
Partner Karolina Schiffter explains why Poland has paused online residence permit bookings and returned to paper-based submissions.
Blog post
Senior Manager Ana Bessa Santos outlines Switzerland’s 2026 immigration quotas and what employers should expect across non-EU/EFTA, EU/EFTA and UK permit categories.
Blog post
Manager Ruaida Hussein outlines the UAE’s updated residency rules introducing a one-year residence permit for eligible individuals following divorce or the death of a spouse
Blog post
Partner Rahul Soni outlines USCIS’ decision to reduce EB-5 filing fees following a federal court ruling that invalidates the agency’s 2024 fee increases.
Media mentions
Manager Clara Gautrais and Immigration Paralegal Sean Pearce highlight how the UK government’s consultation on expanding right to work checks could affect construction employers.
Awards
China Managing Partner Becky Xia is named among the “Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Elites for 2025” by Forbes China for her leadership in immigration law and contributions to global mobility.
Awards
Fragomen is featured on The Times’ 2026 Best Law Firms list in the category of immigration.
Blog post
Senior Immigration Consultant Patricia Rezmives explains the 2025 process for claiming Irish citizenship through ancestry and key considerations for foreign birth registration.
Video
Rick Lamanna, Jake Paul Minster and Lunga Mani discuss Africa’s path to the 2026 World Cup.
Media mentions
Partner Louise Haycock notes that the UK’s new fast-track residency route for high earners could affect how businesses plan for immigration costs.
Blog post
Senior Manager Zaur Gasimov outlines Georgia’s stricter residence-permit requirements and enhanced monitoring measures introduced under the country’s 2025 immigration reforms.
Media mentions
Senior Manager Jonathan Hill explains why more UK universities are on UKVI student visa action plans and how extended timeframes help them address compliance issues.
Media mentions
Partner Karolina Schiffter explains why Poland has paused online residence permit bookings and returned to paper-based submissions.
Blog post
Senior Manager Ana Bessa Santos outlines Switzerland’s 2026 immigration quotas and what employers should expect across non-EU/EFTA, EU/EFTA and UK permit categories.
Blog post
Manager Ruaida Hussein outlines the UAE’s updated residency rules introducing a one-year residence permit for eligible individuals following divorce or the death of a spouse
Blog post
Partner Rahul Soni outlines USCIS’ decision to reduce EB-5 filing fees following a federal court ruling that invalidates the agency’s 2024 fee increases.
Media mentions
Manager Clara Gautrais and Immigration Paralegal Sean Pearce highlight how the UK government’s consultation on expanding right to work checks could affect construction employers.
Awards
China Managing Partner Becky Xia is named among the “Top 100 Most Influential Chinese Elites for 2025” by Forbes China for her leadership in immigration law and contributions to global mobility.
Awards
Fragomen is featured on The Times’ 2026 Best Law Firms list in the category of immigration.
Blog post
Senior Immigration Consultant Patricia Rezmives explains the 2025 process for claiming Irish citizenship through ancestry and key considerations for foreign birth registration.
