Archive · fiscal year 2018

Visa Bulletin for November 2017

Compared with October 2017: 31 lines moved forward, 0 retrogressed, current for all countries: EB-1, 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	Jan 22, 2011+31 d	Jan 22, 2011+31 d	Jan 22, 2011+31 d	Apr 1, 1996+31 d	Jan 1, 2007
F2A	Nov 15, 2015+24 d	Nov 15, 2015+24 d	Nov 15, 2015+24 d	Nov 1, 2015+17 d	Nov 15, 2015+24 d
F2B	Nov 15, 2010+7 d	Nov 15, 2010+7 d	Nov 15, 2010+7 d	Jul 22, 1996+7 d	Jan 1, 2007
F3	Aug 15, 2005+24 d	Aug 15, 2005+24 d	Aug 15, 2005+24 d	May 8, 1995+16 d	Mar 1, 1995+7 d
F4	May 22, 2004+14 d	May 22, 2004+14 d	Oct 22, 2003+21 d	Oct 8, 1997+7 d	Jun 8, 1994+7 d

Employment	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-2	Current	Jun 15, 2013+24 d	Oct 8, 2008+23 d	Current	Current
EB-3	Current	Feb 1, 2014+31 d	Oct 15, 2006	Current	Jan 15, 2016+45 d
EB-3 Other Workers	Current	Apr 1, 2006+3.0 mo	Oct 15, 2006	Current	Jan 15, 2016+45 d
EB-4	Current	Current	Current	Apr 1, 2016+31 d	Current
EB-4 Religious Workers	Current	Current	Current	Apr 1, 2016+31 d	Current

Chart B

Dates for filing

Family	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	Jan 1, 2012	Jan 1, 2012	Jan 1, 2012	Nov 1, 1996	Oct 1, 2007
F2A	Nov 1, 2016	Nov 1, 2016	Nov 1, 2016	Nov 1, 2016	Nov 1, 2016
F2B	Sep 1, 2011	Sep 1, 2011	Sep 1, 2011	Jan 1, 1997	Sep 1, 2007
F3	Dec 1, 2005	Dec 1, 2005	Dec 1, 2005	Oct 1, 1995	Jun 15, 1995
F4	Nov 15, 2004	Nov 15, 2004	Jun 22, 2004	Feb 8, 1998	Mar 1, 1995

Employment	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-2	Current	Nov 15, 2013	Feb 8, 2009	Current	Current
EB-3	Current	Sep 1, 2015	Jan 1, 2008	Current	Aug 1, 2016
EB-3 Other Workers	Current	Jun 1, 2008	Jan 1, 2008	Current	Aug 1, 2016
EB-4	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-4 Religious Workers	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current

What moved

Moved forward 31

EB-3 Other WorkersChina+3.0 moApr 1, 2006
EB-3Philippines+45 dJan 15, 2016
EB-3 Other WorkersPhilippines+45 dJan 15, 2016
F1All countries+31 dJan 22, 2011
F1China+31 dJan 22, 2011
F1India+31 dJan 22, 2011
F1Mexico+31 dApr 1, 1996
EB-3China+31 dFeb 1, 2014
Show all 31
- EB-4Mexico+31 dApr 1, 2016
- EB-4 Religious WorkersMexico+31 dApr 1, 2016
- F2AAll countries+24 dNov 15, 2015
- F2AChina+24 dNov 15, 2015
- F2AIndia+24 dNov 15, 2015
- F2APhilippines+24 dNov 15, 2015
- F3All countries+24 dAug 15, 2005
- F3China+24 dAug 15, 2005
- F3India+24 dAug 15, 2005
- EB-2China+24 dJun 15, 2013
- EB-2India+23 dOct 8, 2008
- F4India+21 dOct 22, 2003
- F2AMexico+17 dNov 1, 2015
- F3Mexico+16 dMay 8, 1995
- F4All countries+14 dMay 22, 2004
- F4China+14 dMay 22, 2004
- F2BAll countries+7 dNov 15, 2010
- F2BChina+7 dNov 15, 2010
- F2BIndia+7 dNov 15, 2010
- F2BMexico+7 dJul 22, 1996
- F3Philippines+7 dMar 1, 1995
- F4Mexico+7 dOct 8, 1997
- F4Philippines+7 dJun 8, 1994

What the State Department said

Special immigrant (si) translator category visa availability
Given the limited availability of visa numbers and the existing demand, the Department expects to reach the FY-2018 annual limit of 50 Special Immigrant Visas in the SI category early in the Fiscal Year. As a result, it has been necessary to hold the November Final Action Date at April 1, 2010. It is likely that number use will require the SI category to become “unavailable” in the coming months. Once the annual limit of 50 visas is reached, further issuances in the SI category will not be possible until October 2018, under the FY-2019 annual limit. The SQ Special Immigrant Visa category for certain Iraqi and Afghan nationals employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Iraq or Afghanistan is not affected and remains current.
U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for November 2017

Released Oct 6, 2017. Official text: travel.state.gov.