Visa Bulletin

Immigrant Numbers For February 2019

A. Final Action Dates for Family Based Immigrant Visas
  All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA-Mainland Born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
Family
 
   
 
 
1st 09/22/11 09/22/11 09/22/11 08/01/97 03/15/07
2A 12/01/16 12/01/16 12/01/16 11/15/16 12/01/16
2B 05/01/12 05/01/12 05/01/12 07/22/97 07/01/07
3rd 08/22/06 08/22/06 08/22/06 12/22/95 08/22/95
4th 06/22/05 06/22/05 06/22/04 02/08/98 10/01/95

 

A. Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Immigrant Visas
  All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA-Mainland Born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
Employment-Based          
1st 12/01/17 02/08/17 02/08/17 12/01/17 12/01/17
2nd C 10/01/15 04/06/09 C C
3rd - Skilled Worker or Professional C 07/01/15 04/22/09 C 08/01/17
3rd - Unskilled Worker C 08/01/07 04/22/09 C 08/01/17
4th C C C 09/01/17 C
Certain Religious Workers U U U U U
5th Non-Regional Centers C 09/01/14 C C C
5thRegional Centers U U U U U

Dates For Filing For February 2019

B. Dates for Filing for Family-Sponsored
Adjustment of Status Application
  All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA-Mainland Born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
Family
 
   
 
 
1st 04/08/12 04/08/12 04/08/12 09/22/99 03/15/08
2A 12/01/17 12/01/17 12/01/17 12/01/17 12/01/17
2B 06/22/14 06/22/14 06/22/14 10/08/97 01/15/08
3rd 02/01/07 02/01/07 02/01/07 06/08/00 08/01/97
4th 06/15/06 06/15/06 02/01/05 11/01/98 12/08/97

 

B. Dates for Filing for Employment-Based
Adjustment of Status Application
  All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA-Mainland Born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
Employment-Based          
1st 06/01/18 10/01/17 10/01/17 06/01/18 06/01/18
2nd C 11/01/15 05/22/09 C C
3rd - Skilled Worker or Professional C 01/01/16 04/01/10 C 10/01/17
3rd - Unskilled Worker C 06/01/08 04/01/10 C 10/01/17
4th C C C C C
Certain Religious Workers C C C C C
5th Non-Regional Centers C 10/01/14 C C C
5th Regional Centers C 10/01/14 C C C

The DV Immigrant Category Rank Cut-Offs Which Will Apply in March

Africa: 15,300 Except: Egypt 12,600
ASIA: 5,000 Except: Iran 4,600 Nepal 3,400
EUROPE: 13,500
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS): 12
OCEANIA: 550
SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN: 750

Immigrant Numbers For January 2019

A. Final Action Dates for Family Based Immigrant Visas
  All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA-Mainland Born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
Family
 
   
 
 
1st 08/22/11 08/22/11 08/22/11 08/01/97 03/01/07
2A 11/08/16 11/08/16 11/08/16 10/15/16 11/08/16
2B 03/15/12 03/15/12 03/15/12 06/08/97 06/22/07
3rd 08/15/06 08/15/06 08/15/06 12/22/95 07/22/95
4th 05/22/05 05/22/05 06/15/04 02/08/98 09/01/95

 

A. Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Immigrant Visas
  All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA-Mainland Born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
Employment-Based          
1st 10/01/17 12/15/16 12/15/16 10/01/17 10/01/17
2nd C 08/01/15 04/01/09 C C
3rd - Skilled Worker or Professional C 06/08/15 03/01/09 C 06/22/17
3rd - Unskilled Worker C 07/01/07 03/01/09 C 06/22/17
4th C C C 04/15/17 C
Certain Religious Workers U U U U U
5th Non-Regional Centers C 09/01/14 C C C
5thRegional Centers U U U U U

Dates For Filing For January 2019

B. Dates for Filing for Family-Sponsored
Adjustment of Status Application
  All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA-Mainland Born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
Family
 
   
 
 
1st 03/08/12 03/08/12 03/08/12 08/22/99 02/15/08
2A 12/01/17 12/01/17 12/01/17 12/01/17 12/01/17
2B 03/22/14 03/22/14 03/22/14 09/08/97 12/15/07
3rd 01/08/07 01/08/07 01/08/07 05/01/00 06/01/97
4th 05/15/06 05/15/06 01/01/05 10/08/98 04/22/97

 

B. Dates for Filing for Employment-Based
Adjustment of Status Application
  All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA-Mainland Born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
Employment-Based          
1st 06/01/18 10/01/17 10/01/17 06/01/18 06/01/18
2nd C 09/08/15 05/22/09 C C
3rd - Skilled Worker or Professional C 01/01/16 04/01/10 C 08/01/17
3rd - Unskilled Worker C 06/01/08 04/01/10 C 08/01/17
4th C C C C C
Certain Religious Workers C C C C C
5th Non-Regional Centers C 10/01/14 C C C
5th Regional Centers C 10/01/14 C C C

On the chart above, "C" means current, i.e., numbers are available for all qualified applicants; and "U" means unavailable, i.e., no numbers are available. (Note: Numbers are available only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed above.)

The visa bulletin of the State Department Visa Office is a listing of available immigrant visas which comes out once a month from the Visa office. It informs the reader as to which dates in certain categories are being reached for immigrant visa issuance. When an individual is being petitioned for under the preference classes, he or she receives a priority date upon initial filing. This scenario can be likened to persons entering a theater in which there are a limited number of seats for each showing. The priority date is like a person's ticket showing his place in the line. When his or her priority date is reached on the monthly visa bulletin, that individual can enter the theater, or immigrate. Current rules state that the priority date must be earlier by 1 day than the date which is shown on the visa chart in order for persons to be interviewed for permanent residence. If an individual is overseas, the American consulates will make every effort to conduct the interview as soon as the priority date becomes current. If the individual is in the U.S., he or she can file the adjustment of status application (I-485) once the priority date is passed by one day. 

The visa chart is broken down into family and employment based categories along with diversity visas. U.S. citizens can apply for their unmarried sons and daughters over the age of 21 under the first family preference, for their married sons and daughters under the third family preference, and for their brothers and sisters under the fourth family preference. Lawful permanent residents can apply for their spouses and children under the age of 21 under the 2A family preference, and for their unmarried sons and daughters over the age of 21 under the 2B family category. 

For employment based immigrant visas, individuals who are considered extraordinary, outstanding teachers or researchers, or intracompany transferees can use the first employment preference. Those individuals holding an advanced degree (or its equivalent) or who are exceptional can immigrate under the second employment preference so long as their immigration is deemed to be in the national interest. Also those individuals with advanced decrees or the equivalent of such fall under the second employment category so long as they have applied for and received a labor certification, and the labor certification requires the degree or its equivalent. Skilled workers occupy the third employment preference, skilled being defined as a position requiring at least 2 years of experience. The E W or other worker category is assigned to unskilled workers whose positions require less than 2 years of experience. Religious workers who meet the requirements of the category fall under the fourth employment category; and investors who invest at least the required statutory amount (1 million in most areas and $500,000 in other locations depending upon the areas being rural, having high unemployment, or being regional investment centers) and hire at least 10 U.S. workers fit under the fifth employment category. 

Other than these categories, 50,000 immigrant visas are given each year to persons in countries which have not been the principal sources of recent immigration to the U.S. China is barred from participating in this category. This category is usually called the visa lottery. Winners of the lottery are notified by the Department of State; all others receive no notice. The priority of each winner is determined by the rank number of the individual rather than the priority date. That is because, under the visa lottery, all applications are sent in at approximately the same time. 

In this web site, we will provide the visa bulletin as set forth by the State Department each month in order that readers can keep track of their cases, and determine when action needs to be done.

 

Copyright © 2003-2019 Alan Lee, Esq.
The information provided here is of a general nature and may not apply to any particular set of facts or circumstances. It should not be construed as legal advice and does not constitute an engagement of the Law Office of Alan Lee or establish an attorney-client relationship.

 
   
 


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