May 2019 Visa Bulletin: Slow Movement in Most Backlogged Categories, Except EB-1 India and China

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At a glance

• EB-1 will advance by one month for most countries, to March 1, 2018; there will be no forward movement for EB-1 China or India. 
• EB-2 will advance by six weeks for China, to May 15, 2016, and by only four days for India, to April 16, 2009. All other countries will remain current.
• The EB-3 subcategory for Professionals and Skilled Workers will remain current for most countries. China will advance by three weeks to August 22, 2015, and India will advance by one week to July 1, 2009.

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The situation

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

• EB-1: All countries except China and India will advance by one month, to March 1, 2018. China and India will remain the same at February 22, 2017. 
• EB-2: All countries except for China and India will remain current. China will advance by six weeks, to May 15, 2016, while India will advance by only 4 days, to April 16, 2009. 
• EB-3 (Professional and Skilled Workers): Most countries will remain current, while China will advance by three weeks, to August 22, 2015, and India will advance by one week, to July 1, 2009. The Philippines will advance by three months, to June 1, 2018.
• EB-5: Both the Regional and Non-Regional Center categories will advance one week for China, to September 22, 2014. Vietnam will advance one month, to September 22, 2016.

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.

Looking ahead

Because demand remains very high, the State Department projects that cutoff dates for EB-1 China and India could retrogress in the near future, though the timing of such retrogression is not yet known. Should this retrogression occur, the State Department predicts that cut-off dates for EB-1 China and India would return to February 22, 2017 when FY 2020 begins on October 1, 2019. 

FINAL ACTION CUT-OFF DATES FOR MAY 2019

EB-1
China and India: February 22, 2017
All other countries: March 1, 2018

EB-2
China: May 15, 2016
India: April 16, 2009
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: August 22, 2015
India: July 1, 2009
Philippines: June 1, 2018
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Other Workers
China: September 1, 2007
India: July 1, 2009
Philippines: June 1, 2018
All other countries: Current

EB-4
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: March 8, 2016
Mexico: August 1, 2018
All other countries: Current                                                                                                    

EB-5
China: September 22, 2014
Vietnam: September 22, 2016
All other countries: Current

FILING ELIGIBILITY CUT-OFF DATES FOR MAY 2019

EB-1
China and India: October 1, 2017
All other countries: September 1, 2018

EB-2
China: September 1, 2016
India: June 1, 2009
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: January 1, 2016
India: April 1, 2010
Philippines: October 1, 2018
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Other Workers
China: June 1, 2008
India: April 1, 2010
Philippines: October 1, 2018
All other countries: Current

EB-4
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: July 1, 2016
All other countries: Current

EB-5
China: October 15, 2014
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.