11,183members
12:25Tree Species Catalog: Leaves, Flowers, Fruits, and Seeds11:55The Ultimate Berry Guide: Forest, Bog, and Garden Berries09:46Cat Breeds: 50 Popular Breeds With Pictures, Size & Temperament09:27Dog Breeds: 50 Popular Breeds With Pictures, Size & Temperament09:26Night Sky Guide: Northern Lights, Meteor Showers, Moon Phases & Eclipses09:24Winter Weather Guide 2026–27: Warnings, Ice, Polar Vortex, Wind Chill, Outlook and Storm Prep07:32Tesla Roadster: Everything We Know About the 2026 Roadster, From the 2008 Original to Starman06:50Are Crosswords Good for Your Brain? What the Research Really Shows
Archive · fiscal year 2016

Visa Bulletin for January 2016

Compared with December 2015: 34 lines moved forward, 0 retrogressed, current for all countries: EB-1, EB-2, EB-4.

Chart A

Final action dates

FamilyAll countriesChinaIndiaMexicoPhilippines
F1May 15, 2008+44 dMay 15, 2008+44 dMay 15, 2008+44 dDec 22, 1994+14 dJun 1, 2003+5.0 mo
F2AAug 1, 2014+47 dAug 1, 2014+47 dAug 1, 2014+47 dJun 1, 2014+24 dAug 1, 2014+47 d
F2BApr 1, 2009+31 dApr 1, 2009+31 dApr 1, 2009+31 dSep 8, 1995Jan 1, 2005+31 d
F3Aug 1, 2004+31 dAug 1, 2004+31 dAug 1, 2004+31 dAug 1, 1994+24 dNov 1, 1993+10 d
F4Apr 22, 2003+31 dApr 22, 2003+31 dApr 22, 2003+31 dApr 1, 1997Jul 22, 1992+21 d
EmploymentAll countriesChinaIndiaMexicoPhilippines
EB-1CurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
EB-2CurrentFeb 1, 2012Feb 1, 2008+8.0 moCurrentCurrent
EB-3Oct 1, 2015+30 dJul 1, 2012+2.5 moMay 15, 2004+23 dOct 1, 2015+30 dNov 1, 2007+3.0 mo
EB-3 Other WorkersOct 1, 2015+30 dDec 1, 2006+4.0 moMay 15, 2004+23 dOct 1, 2015+30 dNov 1, 2007+3.0 mo
EB-4CurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
EB-4 Religious WorkersUnavailableUnavailableUnavailableUnavailableUnavailable
Chart B

Dates for filing

FamilyAll countriesChinaIndiaMexicoPhilippines
F1Oct 1, 2009+5.0 moOct 1, 2009+5.0 moOct 1, 2009+5.0 moApr 1, 1995Sep 1, 2005
F2AJun 15, 2015+3.5 moJun 15, 2015+3.5 moJun 15, 2015+3.5 moJun 15, 2015+3.5 moJun 15, 2015+3.5 mo
F2BDec 15, 2010+5.5 moDec 15, 2010+5.5 moDec 15, 2010+5.5 moApr 1, 1996May 1, 2005
F3Aug 1, 2005+4.0 moAug 1, 2005+4.0 moAug 1, 2005+4.0 moMay 1, 1995Aug 1, 1995
F4May 1, 2004+3.0 moMay 1, 2004+3.0 moMay 1, 2004+3.0 moJun 1, 1998Jan 1, 1993
EmploymentAll countriesChinaIndiaMexicoPhilippines
EB-1CurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
EB-2CurrentJan 1, 2013Jul 1, 2009CurrentCurrent
EB-3Jan 1, 2016+4.0 moOct 1, 2013Jul 1, 2005Jan 1, 2016+4.0 moJan 1, 2010
EB-3 Other WorkersJan 1, 2016+4.0 moJan 1, 2007Jul 1, 2005Jan 1, 2016+4.0 moJan 1, 2010
EB-4CurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent
EB-4 Religious WorkersCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrentCurrent

What moved

Moved forward 34

  • EB-2India+8.0 moFeb 1, 2008
  • F1Philippines+5.0 moJun 1, 2003
  • EB-3 Other WorkersChina+4.0 moDec 1, 2006
  • EB-3Philippines+3.0 moNov 1, 2007
  • EB-3 Other WorkersPhilippines+3.0 moNov 1, 2007
  • EB-3China+2.5 moJul 1, 2012
  • F2AAll countries+47 dAug 1, 2014
  • F2AChina+47 dAug 1, 2014
  • Show all 34
    • F2AIndia+47 dAug 1, 2014
    • F2APhilippines+47 dAug 1, 2014
    • F1All countries+44 dMay 15, 2008
    • F1China+44 dMay 15, 2008
    • F1India+44 dMay 15, 2008
    • F2BAll countries+31 dApr 1, 2009
    • F2BChina+31 dApr 1, 2009
    • F2BIndia+31 dApr 1, 2009
    • F2BPhilippines+31 dJan 1, 2005
    • F3All countries+31 dAug 1, 2004
    • F3China+31 dAug 1, 2004
    • F3India+31 dAug 1, 2004
    • F4All countries+31 dApr 22, 2003
    • F4China+31 dApr 22, 2003
    • F4India+31 dApr 22, 2003
    • EB-3All countries+30 dOct 1, 2015
    • EB-3Mexico+30 dOct 1, 2015
    • EB-3 Other WorkersAll countries+30 dOct 1, 2015
    • EB-3 Other WorkersMexico+30 dOct 1, 2015
    • F2AMexico+24 dJun 1, 2014
    • F3Mexico+24 dAug 1, 1994
    • EB-3India+23 dMay 15, 2004
    • EB-3 Other WorkersIndia+23 dMay 15, 2004
    • F4Philippines+21 dJul 22, 1992
    • F1Mexico+14 dDec 22, 1994
    • F3Philippines+10 dNov 1, 1993

What the State Department said

Scheduled expiration of two employment visa categories

Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR): Pursuant to Section 132 of Public Law 114-53, the non-minister special immigrant program expires on December 11, 2015. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight December 10, 2015. Visas issued prior to this date will only be issued with a validity date of December 10, 2015, 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 10, 2015.

Employment Fifth Preference Categories (I5 and R5): Section 133 of Public Law 114-53 extended this immigrant investor pilot program through December 11, 2015. The I5 and R5 visas may be issued until close of business on December 11, 2015, 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 11, 2015.

The cut-off dates for the categories mentioned above have been listed as "Unavailable" for January. Congress is currently considering an extension of the SR, I5 and R5 visa categories, but there is no certainty when such legislative action may occur. If there is legislative action extending one or both of these categories for FY-2016, those cut-off dates would immediately become "Current" for January for all countries except China-mainland born I5 and R5 categories which would be subject to a January 8, 2014 cut-off date.

U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for January 2016

Released Dec 9, 2015. Official text: travel.state.gov.

More

Archive

Source: U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin (travel.state.gov), every monthly bulletin since 2003, parsed by 77.today. A bulletin can be revised after release; the State Department's page is the binding text. Not legal advice.

Cookies

We measure traffic so we know which stories you care about. You can change your choice at any time.