June 2017 Visa Bulletin: Retrogression for EB-1 India and China; Some Advancement in EB-2 India, China and EB-3 India Final Action Dates
May 9, 2017
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According to the State Department’s June Visa Bulletin, cutoff dates for final issuance of an immigrant visa will be imposed for EB-1 India and China, as projected last month. The priority date cutoff for EB-1 India and China has been set at January 1, 2012.
Final action cutoff dates for EB-2 will advance by over a week for India, to July 1, 2008, and by three weeks for China, to March 1, 2013. In the EB-3 category, final action cutoff dates for professionals, skilled workers and other workers will advance by seven weeks for India, to May 15, 2005; by four months for the Philippines, to May 1, 2013; and by one month for all other countries except China, to April 15, 2017. EB-3 China will remain unchanged at October 1, 2014.
The final action cutoff date for the EB-5 non-Regional Center program, will advance by one week for China, to June 8, 2014. With the reauthorization of the Regional Center program through September 30, 2017, immigrant visas are available in that category, with a cutoff date of June 8, 2014 for China.
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 June.
Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Availability in the Coming Months
EB-1 India and China are expected to remain backlogged through the remainder of this fiscal year, because of high demand in the EB-1 category for all countries. Due to a large number of EB-2 China applicants downgrading to EB-3, there will be no forward movement for EB-3 China next month. The State Department anticipates that EB-3 China will retrogress in August if demand for the category continues.
FINAL ACTION CUT-OFF DATES FOR JUNE 2017
EB-1
China: January 1, 2012
India: January 1, 2012
All other countries: Current
EB-2
China: March 1, 2013
India: July 1, 2008
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: October 1, 2014
India: May 15, 2005
Philippines: May 1, 2013
All other countries: April 15, 2017
EB-3 Other Workers
China: July 15, 2006
India: May 15, 2005
Philippines: May 1, 2013
All other countries: April 15, 2017
EB-5
China: June 8, 2014
Current for all other countries.
FILING ELIGIBILITY CUT-OFF DATES FOR JUNE 2017
EB-1
Current for all countries.
EB-2
China: October 1, 2013
India: February 1, 2009
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: September 1, 2015
India: April 22, 2006
Philippines: July 1, 2014
All other countries: Current
EB-3 Other Workers
China: June 1, 2008
India: April 22, 2006
Philippines: July 1, 2014
All other countries: Current
EB-5
China: September 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.
