July Visa Bulletin: Limited or no movement in employment-based categories

Priority-date cutoff dates will advance modestly or remain the same in employment-based categories next month, according to the Final Action Dates published Thursday in the July Visa Bulletin.

Key movements:

EB-1

• China EB-1 will advance 2 ½ months to May 8, 2017.
• India EB-1 will remain at Jan. 1, 2015 after retrogressing by more than two years in the June Visa Bulletin.
• All other EB-1 categories will remain at April 22, 2018.

EB-2

• China EB-2 will advance three months to Nov. 1, 2016.
• India EB-2 will advance five days to April 24, 2009.
• All other EB-2 countries will remain current.

EB-3

• China EB-3 will advance 3 ½ months to Jan. 1, 2016
• India EB-3 will remain at July 1, 2009.
• Philippines EB-3 will become current after a cutoff date of Nov. 1, 2018 was imposed in the June Visa Bulletin.
• All other EB-3 countries will remain current.

Additional notes: The EB-4 category for religious workers (other than ministers) and the EB-5 Regional Center (I5 and R5) Immigrant Investor Program will be funded through the remainder of the fiscal year under the budget bill President Donald Trump signed in February. The EB-4 category will remain current in July for all categories except El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras and Mexico, both of which will be subject to a July 1, 2016 final action date. In the EB-5 category, final action dates will remain current in July for all categories except China I5 and R5, which will be subject to an Oct. 1, 2014 final action date, and Vietnam I5 and R5, which will be subject to a May 1, 2017 final action date.

Application Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Preference Cases:

The State Department also released its Dates for Filing chart for July. Applicants seeking to file for adjustment of status are reminded that the chart does not take effect unless U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services confirms that it does via a web posting in the coming days. BAL will update clients once the State Department confirms whether the chart can be used in July.

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

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