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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:

  1. 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.

  2. EB-2: China—forward progress ofthree months to January 1, 2016; India—forward progress of

    three days to April 9, 2009.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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 March 2019 Visa Bulletin

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.

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