A blog about U.S. immigration matters by Paul Szeto, a former INS attorney and an experienced immigration lawyer. We serve clients in all U.S. states and overseas countries. (All information is not legal advice and is subject to change without prior notice.)

Contact: 732-632-9888, http://www.1visa1.com/

Monday, February 24, 2020

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.

To find out how to use the Visa Bulletin, please click here.

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.

No comments: