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April 2016 Visa Bulletin Shows Modest Advancement for All Categories

14 Mar

The U.S. Department of State’s (DOS) recently published Monthly Visa Bulletin for April 2016 reports modest advancement to the “final action cutoff date” for applicants in all employment-based categories experiencing a backlog. The largest progression in the “final action cutoff date” was by over two (2) months for EB-3 applicants born in China.

As a reminder, in October 2015 the DOS began including two separate cutoff dates under backlogged categories. The “filing cutoff date” represents the cutoff date for filing new Applications to Adjust Status to Permanent Resident (green card) with U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (CIS). The CIS reviews the DOS-published “filing cutoff dates” against the internal CIS backlog of applications and usage data and will not automatically accept the dates presented by the DOS. The CIS has indicated that applicants must use the DOS-published “final action dates” for April 2016.

The “final action cutoff dates” below represent the cutoff date for approval of pending applications.

Final Action Cutoff Dates

 

Preference

All Chargeability

Areas

Except Those Listed

CHINA-Mainland Born

INDIA

MEXICO

PHILIPPINES

1st

Final Action

Cut-off Date

C

C

C

C

C

2nd

Final Action

Cut-off Date

C

01SEP12

Forward by 1 month

08NOV08

Forward by 3 weeks

C

C

3rd

Final Action

Cut-off Date

15FEB16

Forward by 6 weeks

15AUG13

Forward 2 ½ months

08AUG04

Forward by 3 weeks

15FEB16

Forward by 6 weeks

01MAY08

Forward by 6 weeks

Other Worker

Final Action  Cut-off Date

15FEB16

Forward by 6 weeks

01MAR07

Forward 1 month

08AUG04

Forward by 3 weeks

15FEB16

Forward by 6 weeks

01MAY08

Forward by 6 weeks

 

* The “Final Action Cut-off Date” is the date traditionally published each month in the Visa Bulletin before the October 2015 Visa Bulletin.

As always, Foster will continue to monitor immigrant visa availability and the procedures that allow for filing Applications to Adjust Status to permanent resident and will provide additional information in future Immigration Updates© and on our firm’s website at www.fosterglobal.com.