November 2016 Visa Bulletin: Modest Advancements for EB-2 India and China and EB-3 All Countries; Slight Advancement for EB-5 China

United States

According to the State Department’s November Visa Bulletin, immigrant visa availability dates for final action in all categories will advance, with the greatest advances coming in the EB-2 category final action cutoffs for India and China. EB-2 India will advance by over nine and a half months, to November 1, 2007, and EB-2 China will advance by five months, to July 15, 2012. 

EB-3 for professionals and skilled workers shows movement across the board, with China advancing by three months, to April 15, 2013, Philippines by four months, to April 1, 2011, India by one week, to March 8, 2005, and all other countries by one month, to July 1, 2016.  EB-3 for other workers will advance by eight months for China, to September 1, 2005, four months for the Philippines, to April 1, 2011, one week for India, to March 8, 2005, and one month for all other countries, to July 1, 2016.

There will be no advancement in cutoff dates for eligibility to file an application for permanent residence in all backlogged employment categories.  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 makes them eligible to file in November

 

FINAL ACTION CUT-OFF DATES FOR NOVEMBER 2016

EB-1
Current for all countries. 

EB-2
China: July 15, 2012
India: November 1, 2007
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: April 15, 2013
India: March 8, 2005
Philippines: April 1, 2011
All other countries: July 1, 2016

EB-3 Other Workers
China: September 1, 2005
India: March 8, 2005
Philippines: April 1, 2011
All other countries: July 1, 2016

EB-5
China: March 8, 2014
Current for all other countries.

 

FILING ELIGIBILITY CUT-OFF DATES FOR NOVEMBER 2016

EB-1
Current for all countries.

EB-2
China: March 1, 2013
India: April 22, 2009
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China:  May 1, 2014
India: July 1, 2005
Philippines: September 1, 2013
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Other Workers
China: August 1, 2009
India: July 1, 2005
Philippines: September 1, 2013
All other countries: Current

EB-5
China: June 15, 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.

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