Archive · fiscal year 2015

Visa Bulletin for September 2015

Compared with August 2015: 33 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	Dec 15, 2007+44 d	Dec 15, 2007+44 d	Dec 15, 2007+44 d	Nov 15, 1994	Oct 22, 2000+7.3 mo
F2A	Mar 1, 2014+2.5 mo	Mar 1, 2014+2.5 mo	Mar 1, 2014+2.5 mo	Feb 1, 2014+3.0 mo	Mar 1, 2014+2.5 mo
F2B	Dec 22, 2008+37 d	Dec 22, 2008+37 d	Dec 22, 2008+37 d	Jul 15, 1995+3.2 mo	Sep 8, 2004+3.6 mo
F3	May 8, 2004+30 d	May 8, 2004+30 d	May 8, 2004+30 d	May 22, 1994+30 d	Sep 15, 1993+24 d
F4	Jan 15, 2003+45 d	Jan 15, 2003+45 d	Jan 15, 2003+45 d	Mar 15, 1997+14 d	Mar 1, 1992+46 d

Employment	All countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-2	Current	Jan 1, 2006−95.4 mo	Jan 1, 2006−33.0 mo	Current	Current
EB-3	Aug 15, 2015+31 d	Dec 22, 2004+6.7 mo	Dec 22, 2004+6.7 mo	Aug 15, 2015+31 d	Dec 22, 2004+6.7 mo
EB-3 Other Workers	Aug 15, 2015+31 d	Jan 1, 2004	Dec 22, 2004+6.7 mo	Aug 15, 2015+31 d	Dec 22, 2004+6.7 mo
EB-4	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-4 Religious Workers	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current

What moved

Moved forward 33

F1Philippines+7.3 moOct 22, 2000
EB-3China+6.7 moDec 22, 2004
EB-3India+6.7 moDec 22, 2004
EB-3Philippines+6.7 moDec 22, 2004
EB-3 Other WorkersIndia+6.7 moDec 22, 2004
EB-3 Other WorkersPhilippines+6.7 moDec 22, 2004
F2BPhilippines+3.6 moSep 8, 2004
F2BMexico+3.2 moJul 15, 1995
Show all 33
- F2AMexico+3.0 moFeb 1, 2014
- F2AAll countries+2.5 moMar 1, 2014
- F2AChina+2.5 moMar 1, 2014
- F2AIndia+2.5 moMar 1, 2014
- F2APhilippines+2.5 moMar 1, 2014
- F4Philippines+46 dMar 1, 1992
- F4All countries+45 dJan 15, 2003
- F4China+45 dJan 15, 2003
- F4India+45 dJan 15, 2003
- F1All countries+44 dDec 15, 2007
- F1China+44 dDec 15, 2007
- F1India+44 dDec 15, 2007
- F2BAll countries+37 dDec 22, 2008
- F2BChina+37 dDec 22, 2008
- F2BIndia+37 dDec 22, 2008
- EB-3All countries+31 dAug 15, 2015
- EB-3Mexico+31 dAug 15, 2015
- EB-3 Other WorkersAll countries+31 dAug 15, 2015
- EB-3 Other WorkersMexico+31 dAug 15, 2015
- F3All countries+30 dMay 8, 2004
- F3China+30 dMay 8, 2004
- F3India+30 dMay 8, 2004
- F3Mexico+30 dMay 22, 1994
- F3Philippines+24 dSep 15, 1993
- F4Mexico+14 dMar 15, 1997

Retrogressed 2

EB-2China−95.4 moJan 1, 2006
EB-2India−33.0 moJan 1, 2006

What the State Department said

Determination of the numerical limits on immigrants required under the terms of the immigration and nationality act (INA)
The State Department is required to make a determination of the worldwide numerical limitations, as outlined in Section 201(c) and (d) of the INA, on an annual basis. These calculations are based in part on data provided by U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) regarding the number of immediate relative adjustments in the preceding year and the number of aliens paroled into the United States under Section 212(d)(5) in the second preceding year. Without this information, it is impossible to make an official determination of the annual limits. To avoid delays in processing while waiting for the USCIS data, the Visa Office (VO) bases allocations on the minimum annual limits outlined in Section 201 of the INA. On July 28th, USCIS provided the required data to VO.
The Department of State has determined the Family and Employment preference numerical limits for FY-2015 in accordance with the terms of Section 201 of the INA. These numerical limitations for FY-2015 are as follows:
Worldwide Family-Sponsored preference limit: 226,000
Worldwide Employment-Based preference limit: 144,796
Under INA Section 202(a), the per-country limit is fixed at 7% of the family and employment annual limits. For FY-2015 the per-country limit is 25,956. The dependent area annual limit is 2%, or 7,416.
U.S. Department of State, Visa Bulletin for September 2015

Released Aug 11, 2015. Official text: travel.state.gov.