23Dec
2015
2015
January 2016 Visa Bulletin
songmenglaw / 0 Comments /Department of State released the visa bulletin for January 2016. Below is a copy of the visa bulletin for the employment-based category and a summary of the changes.
I. Application Final Action Dates for Employment-Based Preference Cases
- Note: USCIS designated these dates as applicable for adjustment of status (I-485) within U.S.
| Employment- Based | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | CHINA – mainland born | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | C | C | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 01FEB12 | 01FEB08 | C | C |
| 3rd | 01OCT15 | 01JUL12 | 15MAY04 | 01OCT15 | 01NOV07 |
| Other Workers | 01OCT15 | 01DEC06 | 15MAY04 | 01OCT15 | 01NOV07 |
| 4th | C | C | C | C | C |
| Certain Religious Workers | U | U | U | U | U |
| 5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) |
C | 08JAN14 | C | C | C |
| 5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) |
U | U | U | U | U |
- EB1 category remains current.
- China mainland EB2 remains unchanged at February 1, 2012. India EB2 moved forward 8 months to February 1, 2008. All other EB2 category remains current.
- China mainland EB3 moved forward 2.5 months to July 1, 2012. India EB3 moved forward slightly to May 15, 2004. Philippines EB3 moved forward 3 months to November 1, 2007. All other EB3 category moved forward 1 month to October 1, 2015.
- EB5 Regional Center showed unavailable due to uncertainty in immigrant investor pilot program. The program has been extended until the end of September 2016. As a result, all China mainland EB5 moved forward slightly to January 8, 2014, and all other EB5 category is current.
II. Dates for Filing of Visa Applications
- Note: Timeframe for immigrant visa applicants on when to assemble and submit required documents to the National Visa Center.
| Employment- Based |
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | C | C | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 01JAN13 | 01JUL09 | C | C |
| 3rd | 01JAN16 | 01OCT13 | 01JUL05 | 01JAN16 | 01JAN10 |
| Other Workers | 01JAN16 | 01JAN07 | 01JUL05 | 01JAN16 | 01JAN10 |
| 4th | C | C | C | C | C |
| Certain Religious Workers |
C | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) |
C | 01MAY15 | C | C | C |
| 5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) |
C | 01MAY15 | C | C | C |
- EB1, EB2, and EB5 categories remain same as December.
- EB3 category for China mainland, India, Philippines remains same as December. All other EB3 moved forward 4 months to January 1, 2016.
Entire visa bulletin is available on the Department of State’s website, and USCIS’s determination of which chart to use can be found here.
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