Visa Bulletin update: Final Action Dates to be used for employment-based adjustment-of-status applicants in April

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced that in April it will only accept employment-based adjustment-of-status applications based on the Application Final Action Dates chart.

The Dates for Filing chart published in the State Department’s April Visa Bulletin will not apply. Employment-based immigrants must follow the Application Final Action Dates chart (below) to determine whether they are eligible to file their adjustment-of-status petitions with USCIS. Only applicants with priority dates earlier than the dates listed in the chart will be permitted to file their applications for adjustment of status in April.

Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Preference Cases:

BAL Analysis: April will mark the first time this fiscal year that USCIS will use Final Action Dates for employment-based adjustment-of-status applications. The Final Action Dates chart is less progressive than the Dates for Filing chart in a number of categories, particularly in EB-1 and EB-3. Family-based immigrants will be permitted to use the Dates for Filing chart applicable to family-sponsored immigrants, which was also published in the April Visa Bulletin.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

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