Dates for Filing Versus Final Action Dates
Each month, the posted Visa Bulletin informs applicants who are living in the US when they’re able to move forward with filing their adjustment of status applications. This is determined by USCIS and announced within the category of Dates for Filing or Final Action Dates.
August’s bulletin provides Dates for Filing for family-based applications and Final Action Dates for employment-based applications.
Family-Based Green Cards
If you’re waiting for your family’s green card to come through, it can be more worrisome than awaiting your own! Currently, proposed legislation is working on expediting these delays for individuals in the US with families overseas. But as of right now, here are the dates for filing family-based green cards in the F-1 status (unmarried children aged 21 and older of US citizens):
● General categories: September 1, 2017 (no change from the old date)
● China: September 1, 2017 (no change from the old date)
● India: September 1, 2107 (no change from the old date)
● Mexico: January 1, 2003 (-2 years, 3 months from the old date of April 1, 2005)
● Philippines: April 15, 2022 (no change from the old date)
In the F-2A status, which includes spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21, the dates are as follows:
● General category: No wait (no change from the old status)
● China: No wait (no change from the old status)
● India: No wait (no change from the old status)
● Mexico: No wait (no change from the old status)
● Philippines: No wait (no change from the old status)
All statuses for spouses and children under 21 have no wait. However, please note that although you can file, cases won’t be adjudicated until the priority dates are current, which will likely increase the green card wait time.
F-2B unmarried children over the age of 21 of US green card holders are as follows:
● General Category: January 1, 2017 (no change from the old date)
● China: January 1, 2017 (no change from the old date)
● India: January 1, 2017 (no change from the old date)
● Mexico: August 1, 2004 (-2 years from the old date of April 1, 2002)
● Philippines: October 1, 2013 (no change from the old date)
Married children of US citizens in the F-3 category are as follows:
● General Category: March 1, 2010 (no change from the old date)
● China: March 1, 2010 (no change from the old date)
● India: March 1, 2010 (no change from the old date)
● Mexico: June 15, 2001 (no change from the old date)
● Philippines: November 8, 2003 (no change from the old date)
Finally, the F-4 status, siblings of US citizens, is as follows:
● General Category: March 1, 2008 (no change from the old date)
● China: March 1, 2008 (no change from the old date)
● India: February 22, 2006 (no change from the old date)
● Mexico: April 15, 2001 (no change from the old date)
● Philippines: April 22, 2004 (no change from the old date)
Employment-Based Green Cards
Moving into the work-related green cards, those individuals under an EB-1 (Extraordinary people, outstanding researchers and professors, and multinational executives and managers) have the following wait times:
● General Category: August 1, 2023 (continues as no wait)
● China: February 1, 2022 (no change from the old date)
● Central America: August 1, 2023 (continues as no wait)
● India: January 1, 2012 (-9 years, 11 months from the old date of February 1, 2022)
● Mexico: August 1, 2023 (continues as no wait)
● Philippines: August 1, 2023 (continues as no wait)
Overall, this category moves forward quickly, with the exception of India. Note that legislation is in process that will attempt to alleviate some of India’s significant backlog of work-related green cards.
For EB-2 applications (exceptional people and advanced degree holders, the following wait times are set:
● General Category: April 1, 2022 (-1 month, 2 week change from the old date of February 15, 2022)
● China: July 8, 2019 (-1 month change from the old date of June 8, 2019)
● Central America: April 1, 2022 (-1 month, 2 week change from the old date of February 15, 2022)
● India: January 1, 2011 (no change from the old date)
● Mexico: April 1, 2022 (-1 month, 2 week change from the old date of February 15, 2022)
● Philippines: April 1, 2022 (-1 month, 2 week change from the old date of February 15, 2022)
EB-3 bachelor’s degree holders, skilled workers, and unskilled workers have dates as follows:
● General Category: May 1, 2020 (-1 year, 9 month change from the old date of February 1, 2022)
● China: June 1, 2019 (-2 month change from the old date of April 1, 2019)
● Central America: May 1, 2020 (-1 year, 9 month change from the old date of February 1, 2022)
● India: January 1, 2009 (no change from the old date)
● Mexico: May 1, 2020 (-1 year, 9 month change from the old date of February 1, 2022)
● Philippines: May 1, 2020 (-1 year, 9 month change from the old date of February 1, 2022)
Finally, the EB-4 special immigrants category and EB-5 investors category continue with no changes. The EB-4 dates are as follows:
● General Category: September 1, 2018
● China: September 1, 2018
● Central America: September 1, 2018
● India: September 1, 2018
● Mexico: September 1, 2018
● Philippines: September 1, 2018
● Vietnam: September 1, 2018
The EB-5 dates, with no changes, are as follows:
● General Category: No wait
● China: September 8, 2015
● Central America: No wait
● India: April 1, 2017
● Mexico: No wait
● Philippines: No wait
● Vietnam: No wait
What’s Next?
When you’re waiting for a green card, the wait can move forward or retrogress with any new bulletin release. It’s important to be prepared to file in case your category jumps forward! In the meantime, Visa2US is here to answer your questions regarding H-1B visas and National Interest Waiver (EB-2) applications. Don’t get caught unprepared; be ready to file your green card application today!
