In this post, we would like to keep our readers informed about Visa Bulletin projections for the coming months. Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division of the U.S. Department of State provides a monthly analysis of each month’s Visa Bulletin including discussion of current trends and future projections for immigrant preference categories.
EB-1 Worldwide: this category is not expected to advance until January 2019. Time will tell whether this category will become current during the next year.
EB-1 China and EB-1 India: Also expected to experience forward movement until January 2019. A cutoff date for this category will continue through the next 12 months.
EB-2 Worldwide: This category is expected to remain current until at least the foreseeable future.
EB-2 China: is two months behind EB-3 China, which may prompt EB-2 applicants to downgrade.
EB-2 India: is six months behind EB-3 India in the Dates for Filing chart for the first time, which may prompt EB-2 applicants to downgrade.
EB-3 dates are expected to advance modestly, at least until we see how much downgrade demand there will be.
EB-3 Worldwide: will remain current until the foreseeable future.
EB-3 China: is expected to advance by up to three weeks at a time beginning next month. If there are fewer downgrades, then the category may advance more rapidly.
EB-3 Philippines: minimal forward movement is expected in November and December/
EB-3 India: Final Action Dates may surpass EB-2 India Final Action Date over the next 12 months.
EB-5 Non-Regional Center: China will not experience much movement in this category through the fiscal year due to high demand. EB-5 Vietnam is expected to advance modestly until reaching its country limit. Its final action date will be similar to EB-5 China once it reaches the limit.
EB-5 Regional Center: The EB-5 Regional Center category will be unavailable after September 30, 2018, until Congress re-authorizes the program. If that happens, cutoff dates will match the Non-Regional Center dates.
Please click here to review the October visa bulletin.