Archive · fiscal year 2019

Visa Bulletin for January 2019

Compared with December 2018: 31 lines moved forward, 0 retrogressed, current for all countries: EB-2, EB-3, EB-3 Other Workers, EB-4.

Chart A

Final action dates

Family	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	Aug 22, 2011+14 d	Aug 22, 2011+14 d	Aug 22, 2011+14 d	Aug 1, 1997	Mar 1, 2007+14 d
F2A	Nov 8, 2016+31 d	Nov 8, 2016+31 d	Nov 8, 2016+31 d	Oct 15, 2016+23 d	Nov 8, 2016+31 d
F2B	Mar 15, 2012+29 d	Mar 15, 2012+29 d	Mar 15, 2012+29 d	Jun 8, 1997	Jun 22, 2007+14 d
F3	Aug 15, 2006+14 d	Aug 15, 2006+14 d	Aug 15, 2006+14 d	Dec 22, 1995	Jul 22, 1995+14 d
F4	May 22, 2005+30 d	May 22, 2005+30 d	Jun 15, 2004+7 d	Feb 8, 1998	Sep 1, 1995+48 d

Employment	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Oct 1, 2017+3.0 mo	Dec 15, 2016+3.4 mo	Dec 15, 2016+3.4 mo	Oct 1, 2017+3.0 mo	Oct 1, 2017+3.0 mo
EB-2	Current	Aug 1, 2015+31 d	Apr 1, 2009	Current	Current
EB-3	Current	Jun 8, 2015	Mar 1, 2009	Current	Jun 22, 2017+7 d
EB-3 Other Workers	Current	Jul 1, 2007+30 d	Mar 1, 2009	Current	Jun 22, 2017+7 d
EB-4	Current	Current	Current	Apr 15, 2017+3.4 mo	Current
EB-4 Religious Workers	Unavailable	Unavailable	Unavailable	Unavailable	Unavailable

Chart B

Dates for filing

Family	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	Mar 8, 2012	Mar 8, 2012	Mar 8, 2012	Aug 22, 1999+4.0 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	Sep 8, 1997+38 d	Dec 15, 2007
F3	Jan 8, 2007	Jan 8, 2007	Jan 8, 2007	May 1, 2000+6.8 mo	Jun 1, 1997
F4	May 15, 2006+3.4 mo	May 15, 2006+3.4 mo	Jan 1, 2005	Oct 8, 1998+23 d	Apr 22, 1997

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	May 22, 2009	Current	Current
EB-3	Current	Jan 1, 2016+31 d	Apr 1, 2010+3.0 mo	Current	Aug 1, 2017
EB-3 Other Workers	Current	Jun 1, 2008	Apr 1, 2010+3.0 mo	Current	Aug 1, 2017
EB-4	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-4 Religious Workers	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current

What moved

Moved forward 31

EB-1China+3.4 moDec 15, 2016
EB-1India+3.4 moDec 15, 2016
EB-4Mexico+3.4 moApr 15, 2017
EB-1All countries+3.0 moOct 1, 2017
EB-1Mexico+3.0 moOct 1, 2017
EB-1Philippines+3.0 moOct 1, 2017
F4Philippines+48 dSep 1, 1995
F2AAll countries+31 dNov 8, 2016
Show all 31
- F2AChina+31 dNov 8, 2016
- F2AIndia+31 dNov 8, 2016
- F2APhilippines+31 dNov 8, 2016
- EB-2China+31 dAug 1, 2015
- F4All countries+30 dMay 22, 2005
- F4China+30 dMay 22, 2005
- EB-3 Other WorkersChina+30 dJul 1, 2007
- F2BAll countries+29 dMar 15, 2012
- F2BChina+29 dMar 15, 2012
- F2BIndia+29 dMar 15, 2012
- F2AMexico+23 dOct 15, 2016
- F1All countries+14 dAug 22, 2011
- F1China+14 dAug 22, 2011
- F1India+14 dAug 22, 2011
- F1Philippines+14 dMar 1, 2007
- F2BPhilippines+14 dJun 22, 2007
- F3All countries+14 dAug 15, 2006
- F3China+14 dAug 15, 2006
- F3India+14 dAug 15, 2006
- F3Philippines+14 dJul 22, 1995
- F4India+7 dJun 15, 2004
- EB-3Philippines+7 dJun 22, 2017
- EB-3 Other WorkersPhilippines+7 dJun 22, 2017

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 December 7, 2018, the non-minister special immigrant program expires on December 21, 2018. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight December 20, 2018. Visas issued prior to this date will only be issued with a validity date of December 20, 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 20, 2018.
The final action date for this category has been listed as “Unavailable” for January. If there is legislative action extending this category for FY-2019, the final action date would immediately become “Current” for January for all countries except El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras which would be subject to a February 22, 2016 final action date, and for Mexico which would be subject to an April 15, 2017 final action date.
Employment Fifth Preference Categories (I5 and R5):
The continuing resolution signed on December 7, 2018 extended this immigrant investor pilot program until December 21, 2018. The I5 and R5 visas may be issued until close of business on December 21, 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 21, 2018.
The final action dates for the I5 and R5 categories have been listed as “Unavailable” for January. If there is legislative action extending them for FY-2019, the final action dates would immediately become “Current” for January for all countries except China-mainland born, which would be subject to a September 1, 2014 final action date and Vietnam, which would be subject to a June 1, 2016 final action date.
U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for January 2019

Annual report of immigrant visa applicants in the family-sponsored and employment-based preferences registered at the national visa center as of november 1, 2018
The National Visa Center has provided the totals of applicants who are registered in the various numerically-limited immigrant categories for processing at overseas posts. This information is available on the Consular Affairs travel.state.gov website. The direct link to the Visa Bulletins is:
travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html
U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for January 2019

Released Dec 11, 2018. Official text: travel.state.gov.