March Visa Bulletin Shows Progress
The Department of State (DOS) has released the Visa Bulletin for
March 2019, showing modest progress for EB-1 for all chargeability
areas as well as EB-2 for China and India; EB-3 and Other Workers
China, India, and the Philippines; and EB-5 China and Vietnam, with
the remainder of the priority dates remaining Current.
The specific changes in the Final Action Cut-Off Dates, or
priority dates, from the February to the March Visa Bulletin
are:
- EB-1: China and India—forwardprogress of two weeks for China and India to February 22, 2017;
Mexico—forward progress of three weeks to February 22, 2017;
All Other Chargeability Areas—forward progress of one month
to January 1, 2018.
- EB-2: China—forward progress ofthree months to January 1, 2016; India—forward progress of
three days to April 9, 2009.
- EB-3: China—forward progress ofone week to July 8, 2015; India—forward progress of one month
to May 22, 2009; Philippines—forward progress of four months
to December 1, 2017.
- Other Workers: China—forwardprogress of two weeks to August 15, 2007; India—forward
progress of one month to May 22, 2009; Philippines—forward
progress of four months to December 1, 2017.
- EB-5: China (Non-RegionalCenter)—forward progress of one week to September 8, 2014;
Vietnam—forward progress of one month to July 15, 2016.
Applicants whose priority dates are currently backlogged are
recommended to review the dates to determine if they may be
eligible to file during the month of March. U.S. Citizenship and
Immigration Services (USCIS) noted that beneficiaries of approved
employment-based immigrant petitions whose priority dates become
current in March 2019 should use the “Final Action Cut-Off
Dates” when filing during the month of March 2019. USCIS in
the recent past had accepted applications filed during certain
months based on the typically earlier “Dates for
Filing.”
The content of this article is intended to provide a general
guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought
about your specific circumstances.