Visa Bulletin for December 2019

What the State Department said

Scheduled expiration of two employment visa categories

Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR):

Pursuant to the continuing resolution (H.R. 4378 - Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Health Extenders Act of 2019), signed on September 27, 2019, the non-minister special immigrant program expires on November 21, 2019. No SR visas may be issued overseas or final action taken on adjustment of status cases after midnight, November 20, 2019. Visas issued prior to this date will only be issued with a validity date of November 20, 2019 and all individuals seeking admission as a non-minister special immigrant must be admitted (repeat, admitted) into the U.S. no later than midnight, November 20, 2019.

The final action date for this category has been listed as “Unavailable” for December for all countries.

If there is legislative action extending this category for FY 2020, the final action date would immediately become “Current” for December for all countries except El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, which would be subject to a July 1, 2016 final action date, and Mexico, which would be subject to a July 22, 2017 final action date.

Employment Fifth Preference Categories (I5 and R5):

Pursuant to the continuing resolution (H.R. 4378 - Continuing Appropriations Act, 2020, and Health Extenders Act of 2019), signed on September 27, 2019, the immigrant investor pilot program is extended until November 21, 2019. The I5 and R5 visas may be issued until close of business on November 21, 2019, 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 November 21, 2019.

Employment-based visa availabilty in the coming months

In recent weeks there has been a steadily increasing level of Employment-based demand for adjustment of status cases filed with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Continuation of the current demand pattern would require the establishment of final action dates in the Employment Second, Third, and Third Other Worker preference categories as early as January. Such action would be required in an effort to hold number use within those FY 2020 annual limits.