Archive · fiscal year 2012

Visa Bulletin for January 2012

Compared with December 2011: 36 lines moved forward, 0 retrogressed, current for all countries: EB-1, EB-2, EB-4, EB-4 Religious Workers.

Chart A

Final action dates

Family	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	Oct 15, 2004+44 d	Oct 15, 2004+44 d	Oct 15, 2004+44 d	Apr 15, 1993+7 d	Apr 15, 1997+45 d
F2A	Apr 22, 2009+31 d	Apr 22, 2009+31 d	Apr 22, 2009+31 d	Mar 22, 2009+42 d	Apr 22, 2009+31 d
F2B	Sep 8, 2003+24 d	Sep 8, 2003+24 d	Sep 8, 2003+24 d	Dec 1, 1992+9 d	Sep 1, 2001+17 d
F3	Nov 1, 2001+24 d	Nov 1, 2001+24 d	Nov 1, 2001+24 d	Dec 22, 1992+7 d	Jul 15, 1992+7 d
F4	Aug 15, 2000+31 d	Aug 15, 2000+31 d	Aug 15, 2000+31 d	May 8, 1996+7 d	Oct 8, 1988+30 d

Employment	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-2	Current	Jan 1, 2009+9.6 mo	Jan 1, 2009+9.6 mo	Current	Current
EB-3	Feb 1, 2006+17 d	Oct 15, 2004+37 d	Aug 8, 2002+7 d	Feb 1, 2006+17 d	Feb 1, 2006+17 d
EB-3 Other Workers	Feb 1, 2006+31 d	Apr 22, 2003	Aug 1, 2002+10 d	Feb 1, 2006+31 d	Feb 1, 2006+31 d
EB-4	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-4 Religious Workers	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current

What moved

Moved forward 36

EB-2China+9.6 moJan 1, 2009
EB-2India+9.6 moJan 1, 2009
F1Philippines+45 dApr 15, 1997
F1All countries+44 dOct 15, 2004
F1China+44 dOct 15, 2004
F1India+44 dOct 15, 2004
F2AMexico+42 dMar 22, 2009
EB-3China+37 dOct 15, 2004
Show all 36
- F2AAll countries+31 dApr 22, 2009
- F2AChina+31 dApr 22, 2009
- F2AIndia+31 dApr 22, 2009
- F2APhilippines+31 dApr 22, 2009
- F4All countries+31 dAug 15, 2000
- F4China+31 dAug 15, 2000
- F4India+31 dAug 15, 2000
- EB-3 Other WorkersAll countries+31 dFeb 1, 2006
- EB-3 Other WorkersMexico+31 dFeb 1, 2006
- EB-3 Other WorkersPhilippines+31 dFeb 1, 2006
- F4Philippines+30 dOct 8, 1988
- F2BAll countries+24 dSep 8, 2003
- F2BChina+24 dSep 8, 2003
- F2BIndia+24 dSep 8, 2003
- F3All countries+24 dNov 1, 2001
- F3China+24 dNov 1, 2001
- F3India+24 dNov 1, 2001
- F2BPhilippines+17 dSep 1, 2001
- EB-3All countries+17 dFeb 1, 2006
- EB-3Mexico+17 dFeb 1, 2006
- EB-3Philippines+17 dFeb 1, 2006
- EB-3 Other WorkersIndia+10 dAug 1, 2002
- F2BMexico+9 dDec 1, 1992
- F1Mexico+7 dApr 15, 1993
- F3Mexico+7 dDec 22, 1992
- F3Philippines+7 dJul 15, 1992
- F4Mexico+7 dMay 8, 1996
- EB-3India+7 dAug 8, 2002

What the State Department said

China-mainland born and India employment-based second preference visa availability in the coming months
The China and India Employment Second preference cut-off date has been advanced at a rapid rate in recent months. As previously noted, this action was intended to generate significant levels of new filings for adjustment of status at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices. USCIS has reported that the rate of new filings is currently far below that which they had anticipated, prompting an even more aggressive movement of the cut-off date for January and possibly beyond. While this action greatly increases the potential for an eventual retrogression of the cut-off at some point during the year, it also provides the best opportunity to utilize all numbers available under the annual limit.
U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for January 2012

Annual report of immigrant visa applicants in the family-sponsored and employment-based preferences registered at the national visa center as of november 1, 2011
This information is available on the Consular Affairs travel.state.gov web site. Once at that site, select “Visas” from along the top line, then on the left side select “Visa Statistics”, then Immigrant Visas”, then under the Hot Items select the “Annual IV Waiting List Report”.
U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for January 2012

Released Dec 8, 2011. Official text: travel.state.gov.