February 2015 Visa Bulletin: Significant Advancements for EB-2 India, EB-3 China and Most Other Countries

According to the State Department’s February Visa Bulletin, EB-2 India will advance by more than six months, to September 1, 2005, and EB-2 China will move ahead by six weeks, to March 15, 2010. 

The EB-3 subcategory for professionals and skilled workers will advance by six months for China, to September 1, 2011, and by seven months for most countries, to January 1, 2014. EB-3 India will advance by one week, to December 22, 2003. 

The EB-3 other worker subcategory for China will advance by three weeks, to August 15, 2005, and most other countries by seven months, to January 1, 2014. EB-3 India will advance by one week, to December 22, 2003. 

February 2015 Priority Date Cut-Offs 

In February 2015, EB immigrant visa priority date cut-offs will be: 

EB-1 
Current for all countries. 

EB-2 
China: March 15, 2010 
India: September 1, 2005 
All other countries: Current 

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers 
China: September 1, 2011 
India: December 22, 2003 
All other countries: January 1, 2014 

EB-3 Other Workers 
China: August 15, 2005 
India: December 22, 2003 
All other countries: January 1, 2014 

EB-5 
Current for all countries and subcategories. 

Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Availability in the Coming Months 

The State Department projects that EB-3 will continue to advance significantly for China and most other countries over the next two months. This is expected to spur significant demand, which could lead to a retrogression of cut-off dates within the next six months, particularly for China. EB-3 India is expected to advance slowly, by up to two weeks per month. 

EB-2 India is expected to advance by four to six months per month and EB-2 China by three to six weeks per month in the near term. 

EB-5 is expected to remain current for most countries, but increased demand for China is expected to result in the imposition of a cut-off date no later than this summer.

_{© 2015 Fragomen}