AUGUST 2018 VISA BULLETIN RELEASED

The Department of State (DOS) has issued its August 2018 Visa Bulletin.  Most notably, the Employment-Based (“EB”)-1 category for all nationals worldwide (except for China and India) is no longer current and has retrogressed to May 1, 2016.  EB-1 for Chinese and Indian nationals had no movement.  EB-2 and EB-3 worldwide remains current.  EB-2 for Chinese nationals advanced by two months, but there was no movement for EB-2 Indian nationals.  EB-3 for Chinese, Indian and Philippine nationals also made significant advances.  

EB-1-Worldwide:                May 1, 2016 (major retrogression):

                        China:           January 1, 2012

                        India:             January 1, 2012

                                              No advancement from last month’s VB

EB-2-Worldwide:                Priority dates are current,except:                       

                        China:            March 1, 2015

                                                Two-month advancement from last month’s VB                                               

                        India:              March 15, 2009

                                                No advancement from last month’s VB

EB-3-Worldwide:                Priority dates are current,except:

                        China:            July 1, 2014

                                                Eighteen-month advancement from last month’s VB

                        India:              January 1, 2009

                                                Two-month advancement from last month’s VB

                        Philippines:  June 1, 2017

                                                Five-month advancement from last month’s VB

USCIS ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS DATES

If USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, the USCIS will state on www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfothat you may use the Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart in the Department of State August 2018 Visa Bulletin. Otherwise, USCIS will indicate on its web site that you must use the Application Final Action Dates chart to determine when you may file your adjustment of status application in the United States. For August 2018, USCIS has determined that the Final Action Dates (listed above) must be used for employment-based filings.  

This alert is for informational purposes.  If you would like to discuss these developments further, please do not hesitate to contact us.