Archive · fiscal year 2019

Visa Bulletin for December 2018

Compared with November 2018: 36 lines moved forward, 0 retrogressed, current for all countries: EB-2, EB-3, EB-3 Other Workers, EB-4, EB-4 Religious Workers.

Chart A

Final action dates

Family	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	Aug 8, 2011+47 d	Aug 8, 2011+47 d	Aug 8, 2011+47 d	Aug 1, 1997	Feb 15, 2007+14 d
F2A	Oct 8, 2016+23 d	Oct 8, 2016+23 d	Oct 8, 2016+23 d	Sep 22, 2016+21 d	Oct 8, 2016+23 d
F2B	Feb 15, 2012+45 d	Feb 15, 2012+45 d	Feb 15, 2012+45 d	Jun 8, 1997	Jun 8, 2007+7 d
F3	Aug 1, 2006+24 d	Aug 1, 2006+24 d	Aug 1, 2006+24 d	Dec 22, 1995	Jul 8, 1995+16 d
F4	Apr 22, 2005+31 d	Apr 22, 2005+31 d	Jun 8, 2004+7 d	Feb 8, 1998	Jul 15, 1995+30 d

Employment	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Jul 1, 2017+3.0 mo	Sep 1, 2016+3.0 mo	Sep 1, 2016+3.0 mo	Jul 1, 2017+3.0 mo	Jul 1, 2017+3.0 mo
EB-2	Current	Jul 1, 2015+47 d	Apr 1, 2009+6 d	Current	Current
EB-3	Current	Jun 8, 2015+7 d	Mar 1, 2009+59 d	Current	Jun 15, 2017+7 d
EB-3 Other Workers	Current	Jun 1, 2007+31 d	Mar 1, 2009+59 d	Current	Jun 15, 2017+7 d
EB-4	Current	Current	Current	Jan 1, 2017+40 d	Current
EB-4 Religious Workers	Current	Current	Current	Jan 1, 2017+40 d	Current

Chart B

Dates for filing

Family	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	Mar 8, 2012	Mar 8, 2012	Mar 8, 2012	Apr 22, 1999+6.4 mo	Feb 15, 2008
F2A	Dec 1, 2017	Dec 1, 2017	Dec 1, 2017	Dec 1, 2017	Dec 1, 2017
F2B	Mar 22, 2014	Mar 22, 2014	Mar 22, 2014	Aug 1, 1997+40 d	Dec 15, 2007
F3	Jan 8, 2007	Jan 8, 2007	Jan 8, 2007	Oct 8, 1999+9.5 mo	Jun 1, 1997
F4	Feb 1, 2006+8.0 mo	Feb 1, 2006+8.0 mo	Jan 1, 2005	Sep 15, 1998+2.8 mo	Apr 22, 1997+12.5 mo

Employment	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Jun 1, 2018	Oct 1, 2017	Oct 1, 2017	Jun 1, 2018	Jun 1, 2018
EB-2	Current	Sep 8, 2015+2.8 mo	May 22, 2009	Current	Current
EB-3	Current	Dec 1, 2015+3.8 mo	Jan 1, 2010+3.0 mo	Current	Aug 1, 2017+31 d
EB-3 Other Workers	Current	Jun 1, 2008	Jan 1, 2010+3.0 mo	Current	Aug 1, 2017+31 d
EB-4	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-4 Religious Workers	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current

What moved

Moved forward 36

EB-1China+3.0 moSep 1, 2016
EB-1India+3.0 moSep 1, 2016
EB-1All countries+3.0 moJul 1, 2017
EB-1Mexico+3.0 moJul 1, 2017
EB-1Philippines+3.0 moJul 1, 2017
EB-3India+59 dMar 1, 2009
EB-3 Other WorkersIndia+59 dMar 1, 2009
F1All countries+47 dAug 8, 2011
Show all 36
- F1China+47 dAug 8, 2011
- F1India+47 dAug 8, 2011
- EB-2China+47 dJul 1, 2015
- F2BAll countries+45 dFeb 15, 2012
- F2BChina+45 dFeb 15, 2012
- F2BIndia+45 dFeb 15, 2012
- EB-4Mexico+40 dJan 1, 2017
- EB-4 Religious WorkersMexico+40 dJan 1, 2017
- F4All countries+31 dApr 22, 2005
- F4China+31 dApr 22, 2005
- EB-3 Other WorkersChina+31 dJun 1, 2007
- F4Philippines+30 dJul 15, 1995
- F3All countries+24 dAug 1, 2006
- F3China+24 dAug 1, 2006
- F3India+24 dAug 1, 2006
- F2AAll countries+23 dOct 8, 2016
- F2AChina+23 dOct 8, 2016
- F2AIndia+23 dOct 8, 2016
- F2APhilippines+23 dOct 8, 2016
- F2AMexico+21 dSep 22, 2016
- F3Philippines+16 dJul 8, 1995
- F1Philippines+14 dFeb 15, 2007
- F2BPhilippines+7 dJun 8, 2007
- F4India+7 dJun 8, 2004
- EB-3China+7 dJun 8, 2015
- EB-3Philippines+7 dJun 15, 2017
- EB-3 Other WorkersPhilippines+7 dJun 15, 2017
- EB-2India+6 dApr 1, 2009

What the State Department said

Scheduled expiration of two employment visa categories
Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR):
Pursuant to the continuing resolution, signed on September 28, 2018, the non-minister special immigrant program expires on December 7, 2018. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight December 6, 2018. Visas issued prior to this date will only be issued with a validity date of December 6, 2018, and all individuals seeking admission as a non-minister special immigrant must be admitted (repeat, admitted) into the U.S. no later than midnight December 6, 2018.
The final action date for this category has been listed as “Current” for December for all countries except El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico, which are subject to specific final action dates for December. If there is no legislative action extending this category for FY-2019, the final action date would immediately become “Unavailable” for December for all countries effective December 7, 2018.
Employment Fifth Preference Categories (I5 and R5):
The continuing resolution signed on September 28, 2018 extended this immigrant investor pilot program until December 7, 2018. The I5 and R5 visas may be issued until close of business on December 7, 2018, and may be issued for the full validity period. No I5 or R5 visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after December 7, 2018.
The final action dates for the I5 and R5 categories have been listed as “Current” for December for all countries except China-mainland born and Vietnam, which are subject to specific final action dates for December. If there is no legislative action extending them for FY-2019, the final action dates would immediately become “Unavailable” for December for all countries effective December 8, 2018.
U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for December 2018

Released Nov 8, 2018. Official text: travel.state.gov.