September 2017 Visa Bulletin: Worldwide EB-2 Advances; EB-3 Remains Current For Many Countries and Advances for India

According to the State Department’s September Visa Bulletin, EB-2 final action cutoff dates will advance by nine months for most countries, to January 1, 2016. EB-2 China will advance by three weeks, to May 15, 2013, and EB-2 India will advance one month, to August 22, 2008. In the EB-1 category, the cutoff date for India and China will remain at January 1, 2012.

The EB-3 professional and skilled worker subcategory will remain current for many countries. However, EB-3 China will remain at January 1, 2012, while EB-3 India will advance by three months, to October 15, 2006, and the Philippines will advance by five months, to November 1, 2015. In the other worker subcategory, EB-3 China will remain at January 1, 2004.

The final action cutoff date for EB-5 China, in both the Regional Center and Non-Regional Center programs, will remain at June 15, 2014.

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 September. The dates for filing will remain unchanged next month.

FINAL ACTION CUT-OFF DATES FOR SEPTEMBER 2017

EB-1
China: January 1, 2012
India: January 1, 2012
All other countries: Current

EB-2
China: May 15, 2013
India: August 22, 2008
All other countries: January 1, 2016

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: January 1, 2012
India: October 15, 2006
Philippines: November 1, 2015
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Other Workers
China: January 1, 2004
India: October 15, 2006
Philippines: November 1, 2015
All other countries: Current

EB-5
China: June 15, 2014
Current for all other countries.

FILING ELIGIBILITY CUT-OFF DATES FOR SEPTEMBER 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: January 1, 2007
Philippines: January 1, 2016
All other countries: Current

EB-3 Other Workers
China: June 1, 2008
India: January 1, 2007
Philippines: January 1, 2016
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.