United States: March 2016 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 India and China Final Action Dates Will Advance Again Next Month

United States

According to the State Department’s March Visa Bulletin, the cutoff date for final issuance of an immigrant visa will advance by five months for EB-2 China, to August 1, 2012, and by six weeks for EB-2 India, to October 15, 2008. 

Final action cutoff dates for EB-3 professionals and skilled workers will advance by eight months for China, to June 1, 2013; by one month for India, to July 15, 2004; by just over two months for the Philippines, to March 15, 2008; and by three months for all other countries, to January 1, 2016.  Final action cutoff dates for EB-5 China, in both the Regional Center and non-Regional Center programs, will advance by one week, to January 22, 2014.  

Cutoff dates for eligibility to file an application for permanent residence will advance by five months for EB-2 China, to June 1, 2013, but will not advance for EB-2 India.  Filing eligibility dates in EB-3 will advance by one year and seven months for China, to May 1, 2015, and will be current for most other countries, with the exception of India and the Philippines, which will remain unchanged.  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 March.  

Future Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Availability

If current demand for immigrant visas continues at current levels, the State Department projects that cutoff dates for employment-based preference categories could advance to the following dates by June 2016:

• EB-2 China:  Up to five months

• EB-2 India:  Up to three months

• EB-3 China:  Up to five months

• EB-3 India:  Up to one month

• EB-3 Philippines:  Up to four months

• EB-3 All other countries:  Slow or no movement

• EB-5 China:  Slow forward movement

 

FINAL ACTION CUTOFF DATES FOR MARCH 2016

 

EB-1 

Current for all countries. 

 

EB-2 

China: August 1, 2012

India:  October 15, 2008

All other countries: Current

 

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers 

China: June 1, 2013

India: July 15, 2004

Philippines: March 15, 2008

All other countries:  January 1, 2016

 

EB-3 Other Workers 

China: February 1, 2007

India: July 15, 2004

Philippines: March 15, 2008

All other countries: January 1, 2016

 

EB-5

China: January 22, 2014

Current for all other countries and subcategories.

 

FILING ELIGIBILITY CUT-OFF DATES FOR MARCH 2016

 

EB-1 

Current for all countries. 

 

EB-2 

China: June 1, 2013

India: July 1, 2009

All other countries: Current 

 

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers 

China:  May 1, 2015

India: July 1, 2005

Philippines: January 1, 2010

All other countries: Current 

 

EB-3 Other Workers 

China: August 1, 2007

India: July 1, 2005

Philippines: January 1, 2010

All other countries: Current 

 

EB-5 

China: May 1, 2015

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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