May 2015 Visa Bulletin: EB-5 China Cutoff, EB-2 China and India Advance; EB-3 Philippines Retrogresses

In May, EB-2 China and India continue their rapid forward movement, advancing 14 months and 7.5 months to June 1, 2012 and April 15, 2008 respectively.  Eligible applicants with current priority dates should take advantage of this positive movement to file their I-485 adjustment applications as soon as possible.

EB-5 China Cut-off
As predicted by the State Department, due to heavy visa demand from Chinese investors, the EB-5 employment-creation visa category for mainland China has a cut-off date of May 1, 2013, for the first time in May. The State Department is not able to make specific prediction regarding future movement of this category, which will depend on actual visa use in the coming months. Retrogression is possible but not certain before the end of the fiscal year.

Philippines's Family 1st and Employment 3rd
During the past year, Philippines' Family 1st cut-off date had been advanced significantly by the State Department in an effort to use up all available numbers for the fiscal year. The State Department warns that retrogression may be possible in the next few months to limit visa number use within the annual cap for this preference category.

Similarly, Philippines' EB-3 had also been advanced very rapidly during the past year, generating significant use of visa numbers.  Consequently, this visa category retrogresses in May to July 1, 2007 (from October 1, 2014) in an attempt to limit visa use.

FAMILY	Other Countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	08/15/07	08/15/07	08/15/07	11/08/94	02/01/05
F2A	09/01/13	09/01/13	09/01/13	08/08/13	09/01/13
F2B	09/15/08	09/15/08	09/15/08	04/01/95	04/22/04
F3	02/22/04	02/22/04	02/22/04	04/15/94	08/15/93
F4	08/01/02	08/01/02	08/01/02	07/15/97	10/22/91

1st: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Citizens (about 23,000 per year).

2A: The 2 "A" preference is for Spouses and Children (under 21 & unmarried) of LPR's.

2B: The 2 "B" Preference is for Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 or older) of LPR's.

3rd: Married Sons and Daughters of Citizens.(about 23,000 per year)

4th: Brothers and Sisters of Adult Citizens.(about 65,000 per year)

EMPLOYMENT	Other Countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB1	C	C	C	C	C
EB2	C	06/01/12	04/15/08	C	C
EB3	01/01/15	05/01/11	01/15/04	01/01/15	07/01/07
Other Workers	01/01/15	11/15/05	01/15/04	01/01/15	07/01/07
EB4	C	C	C	C	C
EB5	C	05/01/13	C	C	C

1st: Priority Workers (Extraordinary ability aliens, multinational companies executives/managers, outstanding prof./researchers)

2nd: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability.

3rd: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers (Unskilled.)

4th: "Special Immigrants" (Religious & others)

5th: Employment Creation (Investors)