September 2017 Visa Bulletin: Employment Categories Advance / Family 1st Went Backward

For September, several employment visa categories advance:  EB-2 China advances 3 weeks; EB-2 India advances 1 month; EB-2 Mexico, Philippines and Other Countries advance 8 months!  EB-3 India moves forward by 3 months; EB-3 Philippines advances 5 months.

For Family 1st (unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens), China, India and Other Countries retrogress by more than 7 months to May 1, 2010, while Philippines advances 2.5 months.

This is the last Visa Bulletin of the fiscal year.  In October, a new batch of visa numbers will be available.  It is expected that certain EB-2 categories (Mexico, Philippines and Other Countries) will become current again.

AD: Dates for Final Action (Approval)

FD : Dates for Filing Applications

Family		Other Coountries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	AD	05/01/2010	05/01/2010	05/01/2010	02/01/1996	01/01/2007
	FD	07/22/2011	07/22/2011	07/22/2011	04/01/1996	09/08/2007
F2A	AD	10/01/2015	10/01/2015	10/01/2015	09/22/2015	10/01/2015
	FD	04/08/2016	04/08/2016	04/08/2016	04/08/2016	04/08/2016
F2B	AD	11/01/2010	11/01/2010	11/01/2010	07/01/1996	01/01/2007
	FD	09/01/2011	09/01/2011	09/01/2011	08/08/1996	07/22/2007
F3	AD	07/08/2005	07/08/2005	07/08/2005	04/08/1995	02/15/1995
	FD	12/01/2005	12/01/2005	12/01/2005	05/01/1995	03/01/1995
F4	AD	01/01/2002	01/01/2002/	01/01/2002	09/15/1997	06/01/1994
	FD	11/15/2004	11/15/2004	06/22/2004	01/08/1998	02/08/1995

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 Counties	China	El Salvador Guatemala Honduras	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB1	AD	C	01/01/2012	C	01/01/2012	C	C
	FD	C	C	N/A	C	C	C
EB2	AD	01/01/2016	05/15/2013	01/01/2016	08/22/2008	01/01/2016	01/01/2016
	FD	C	10/01/2013	N/A	02/01/2009	C	C
EB3	AD	C	01/01/2012	C	10/15/2006	C	11/01/2015
	FD	C	09/01/2015	N/A	01/01/2007	C	01/01/2016
Other Workers	AD	C	01/01/2004	C	10/15/2006	C	11/01/2015
	FD	C	06/01/2008	N/A	01/01/2007	C	01/01/2016
EB4	AD	C	C	10/22/2015	10/22/2015	10/22/2015	C
	FD	C	C	N/A	C	C	C
EB5	AD	C	06/15/2014	C	C	C	C
	FD	C	09/01/2014	N/A	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)