March 2020 Visa Bulletin: Philippines Family Categories Advance

The March 2020 Visa Bulletin brings mixed movements in cutoff dates. 

Family Categories have moderate advancements

F2A remains current for all countries. Spouses and minor children of legal residents may apply for their green cards now without waiting for visa numbers.

Philippines Family categories all advance by five months in all other categories.

Employment Categories

EB-1:   Worldwide moves forward by 3 months; China by 10 days; India by 3 months; Philippines by 3 months.
EB-2:  China moves forward by 1 month; India by 10 days.
EB-3:  China advances 11 weeks; India advances 1 week only.  Cutoff days introduced for Worldwide and Mexico as predicted.   Philippines EB-3 retrogressed by 17 months.

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AD: Dates for Final Action (Green Card Approval)              FD: Dates for Filing Applications Only

Family		Other Countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	AD	10/08/2013	10/08/2013	10/08/2013	09/15/1997	09/01/2009
	FD	06/08/2014	06/08/2014	06/08/2014	11/22/1999	05/01/2010
F2A	AD	C	C	C	C	C
	FD	01/01/2020	01/01/2020	01/01/2020	01/01/2020	01/01/2020
F2B	AD	09/15/2014	09/15/2014	09/15/2014	10/15/1998	10/01/2009
	FD	05/15/2015	05/15/2015	05/15/2015	06/22/1999	06/01/2010
F3	AD	12/15/2007	12/15/2007	12/15/2007	04/08/1996	10/01/1999
	FD	08/15/2008	08/15/2008	08/15/2008	07/15/2000	06/01/2000
F4	AD	07/01/2006	07/01/2006	12/08/2004	02/15/1998	12/01/1999
	FD	07/22/2007	07/22/2007	08/08/2005	01/08/1999	07/01/2000

1st: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Citizens (about 23,400 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 23,400 per year)

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

Employment		Other Countries	China	El Salvador Guatemala Honduras	India	Mexico	Philippines	Vietnam
EB1	AD	03/01/2019	06/01/2017	03/01/2019	03/01/2015	03/01/2019	03/01/2019	03/01/2019
	FD	C	10/01/2017	C	03/15/2017	C	C	C
EB2	AD	C	08/15/2015	C	05/22/2009	C	C	C
	FD	C	08/01/2016	C	07/01/2009	C	C	C
EB3	AD	01/01/2017	03/22/2016	01/01/2017	01/15/2009	01/01/2017	01/01/2017	01/01/2017
	FD	01/01/2019	03/01/2017	01/01/2019	02/01/2010	01/01/2019	01/01/2019	01/01/2019
Other Workers	AD	01/01/2017	06/01/2008	01/01/2017	01/15/2009	01/01/2017	01/01/2017	01/01/2017
	FD	01/01/2019	08/01/2008	01/01/2019	02/01/2010	01/01/2019	01/01/2019	01/01/2019
EB4	AD	C	C	07/15/2016	C	11/15/2017	C	C
	FD	C	C	08/15/2016	C	C	C	C
EB5	AD	C	05/15/2015	C	10/22/2018	C	C	01/15/2017
	FD	C	12/15/2015	C	C	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)

What happens if the Final Action Date is "current" or later than the Filing Date? 
If this happens in a particular immigrant visa category, applicants in that visa category may file using the Final Action Dates chart during that month.

For Family-Sponsored Filings:
In the F2A category, there is a cutoff date on the Dates for Filing chart. However, the category is “current” on the Final Action Dates chart. This means that applicants in the F2A category may file using the Final Action Dates chart for March 2020.

For all the other family-based preference categories, you must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for March 2020.

For Employment-Based Preference Filings:
In the EB-3 and Other Workers “All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed” categories, there is a cutoff date on the Dates for Filing chart. However, the categories are “current” on the Final Action Dates chart. This means that applicants in the EB-3 and Other Workers from all other chargeability areas may file using the Final Action Dates chart for March 2020.

For all other employment-based preference categories, you must use the Dates for Filing chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for March 2020.