May 2012 Visa Bulletin - Retrogression in EB-2 - Predictions Added

The State Department has recently released the May 2012 Visa Bulletin. The following are the highlights:

• As predicted by the Department of State, the EB-2 India and China cutoff dates have retrogressed to August 15, 2007, as a result of large number of filings in recent months. No forward movement is expected for these two countries until the October 2012 Visa Bulletin. The USCIS will continue to accept and pre-adjudicate I-485 applications for applicants with current priority dates through the end of April.
• There are slow movements for EB-3 categories.
• FB-1 China, India and "All Other Countries" all move forward by one (1) month to May 1, 2005.
• FB-2A China, India, Philippines and "All Other Countries" all move forward by five (5) weeks to November 15, 2009
• FB-2B China, India and "All Other Countries" move forward by five (5) weeks to February 22, 2004.

For the first time, DOS also included specific predictions for the coming months as follows:

VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE COMING MONTHS
FAMILY-sponsored categories (monthly movements) Worldwide dates:
* F1: four to six weeks
* F2A: up to two and one half months
* F2B: three to six weeks
* F3: three to six weeks
* F4: three to five weeks

EMPLOYMENT-based categories (monthly)
EB-1: Current
EB-2:
* Worldwide: Potential need for cut-off date to be established
* China and India: Potentially "Unavailable"
EB-3:
* Worldwide: three to five weeks
* China: up to six weeks
* India: up to two weeks
* Mexico: three to five weeks
* Philippines: three to five weeks
EB-4: Current
EB-5: Current