December Visa Bulletin: Baby Steps

DOS released the December Visa bulletin and there are only some modest moves forward, as detailed below.  Unfortunately, USCIS has not yet stated if they will still allow the Dates for Filing to be used to determine when you are able to file the adjustment application.  We will update you once USCIS releases that information.  Below we will go through each category in detail

Family Based Applications:

F1: Final Action Dates: Moved forward about 2 months to December 1, 2009 for All Other Countries, India and China.   Mexico only moved forward about 1 week to April 15, 1995 and the Philippines moved forward about 1 week as well to September 15. 2005. Dates for Filing: No movement

F2A: Final Action Dates: Everyone moved forward about 1 month to February 22, 2015 (February 15, 2015 for Mexico).  Dates for Filing:  No movement.

F2B: Final Action Dates: All countries moved forward about three weeks to May 8, 2010 except Mexico which moved forward about 1 week to October 15, 1995 and the Philippines which moved forward about 2 weeks to March 1, 2006. Dates for Filing: No movement

F3: Final Action Dates: All countries moved forward about one month to February 15, 2005 except Mexico and the Philippines, which moved forward about 1 week to December 8, 1994 and to August 15, 1994 respectively . Dates for filing: No movement.

F4: Final Action Dates: All other countries moved forward about three weeks to December 22, 2003.  China moved forward two months to October 1, 2003.  India moved forward only about 2 weeks to April 1, 2003.  Mexico moved forward only 1 week to May 15, 1997.  And the Philippines moved forward about 2 weeks to May 22, 1993. Dates for filing: No Movement.

Employment Based Applications:

E1:  Current for everyone

E2: Final Action Dates: Current for everyone except India and China.  China moved forward about 2 months to September 22, 2012.  India moved forward about 3 months to February 1, 2008.

E3:  Final Action Dates: Most countries stayed the same at  July 1, 2016.  China moved forward about 2.5 months to July 1, 2013.  Since China E3 is ahead of China E2, expect this to backlog at some point. India moved forward about 1 week to March 15, 2005 and the Philippines moved forward 2 months to June 1, 2011.

Employment Dates for Filing:  Same as last month – Current across the board EXCEPT:

E2:  China is at March 1, 2013 and India is at April 22, 2009

E3: China is at May 1, 2014 and India is at July 1, 2005

Author: Adam Frank, Esquire

I am an immigration attorney with over 20 years of experience. I was graduated from Brandeis University undergrad in 1990 and then spent a year traveling around Central America. In 1991 I began attending the University of Baltimore School of Law and was graduated in 1994. I began working in Immigration Law in 1998 when I joined a small law firm and, in 2000 opened my own firm with my law partner Ed Leavy. Sadly, Ed passed away in 2011. I am still a partner in my own firm with my current partner Brendan Delaney. Our firm is Frank & Delaney Immigration Law, LLC. View all posts by Adam Frank, Esquire