Archive · fiscal year 2009

Visa Bulletin for October 2008

Compared with September 2008: 14 lines moved forward, 2 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	Apr 15, 2002+14 d	Apr 15, 2002+14 d	Apr 15, 2002+14 d	Sep 8, 1992	Apr 1, 1993
F2A	Jan 1, 2004+31 d	Jan 1, 2004+31 d	Jan 1, 2004+31 d	May 1, 2001	Jan 1, 2004+31 d
F2B	Dec 15, 1999	Dec 15, 1999	Dec 15, 1999	Apr 22, 1992	–
F3	Jun 22, 2000+7 d	Jun 22, 2000+7 d	Jun 22, 2000+7 d	Sep 15, 1992	May 1, 1991+9 d
F4	Oct 22, 1997+21 d	May 1, 1997+23 d	May 22, 1997+44 d	Jan 15, 1995	Mar 8, 1986

Employment	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-2	Current	Apr 1, 2004−28.0 mo	Apr 1, 2003−40.0 mo	Current	Current
EB-3	Jan 1, 2005	Oct 1, 2001	Jul 1, 2001	Jul 1, 2002	Jan 1, 2005
EB-3 Other Workers	Jan 1, 2003	Jan 1, 2003	Jan 1, 2003	Jan 1, 2003	Jan 1, 2003
EB-4	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-4 Religious Workers	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current

What moved

Moved forward 14

F4India+44 dMay 22, 1997
F2AAll countries+31 dJan 1, 2004
F2AChina+31 dJan 1, 2004
F2AIndia+31 dJan 1, 2004
F2APhilippines+31 dJan 1, 2004
F4China+23 dMay 1, 1997
F4All countries+21 dOct 22, 1997
F1All countries+14 dApr 15, 2002
Show all 14
- F1China+14 dApr 15, 2002
- F1India+14 dApr 15, 2002
- F3Philippines+9 dMay 1, 1991
- F3All countries+7 dJun 22, 2000
- F3China+7 dJun 22, 2000
- F3India+7 dJun 22, 2000

Retrogressed 2

EB-2India−40.0 moApr 1, 2003
EB-2China−28.0 moApr 1, 2004

What the State Department said

Mexico f2a visa availabiilty for october
Heavy demand for numbers in the Mexico F2A category has required the establishment of a cut-off date which is earlier than that which applied in June (after which they became “unavailable” for the remainder of FY-2008). The Mexico F2A cut-off date for October will be 01MAY01. Forward movement during the first quarter of the new fiscal year is likely to be limited.
U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for October 2008

Employment visa availability
Item E of the May 2008 Visa Bulletin (number 118, volume VIII) indicated that many Employment cut-off dates had been advancing very rapidly, based on indications that the Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) would need to review a significantly larger pool of applicants than there were numbers available in order to maximize number use under the FY-2008 annual limits. That item also indicated that if the CIS projections proved to be incorrect, it would be necessary to adjust the cut-off dates during the final quarter of FY-2008. The CIS estimates have proven to be very high resulting in: 1) the “unavailability” of all Employment Third preference categories beginning in July, 2) the “unavailability” of numbers for China and India Employment Second preference adjustment of status cases during September, and 3) the establishment of many October Employment cut-off dates which are earlier than those which applied during FY-2008.
Little if any forward movement of the cut-off dates in most Employment categories is likely until the extent of the CIS backlog of old priority dates can be determined. It is estimated that the FY-2009 Employment-based annual limit will be very close to the 140,000 minimum.
U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for October 2008

Official text: travel.state.gov.