EB-2 India & EB-3 China Advances (With 2015 Forecast for the World)
The U.S. State Department has just released the February 2015 Visa Bulletin which announced advancements to the EB-2 preference category for India, as well as the EB-3 preference category for China and other countries.
Starting February 1st of this year, EB-2 applicants from India with priority dates before September 1, 2005 may file applications to adjust status with USCIS or apply for an immigrant visa at their U.S. Consulate abroad.
Starting February 1st of this year, EB-3 applicants from China with priority dates before September 1, 2011 may file applications to adjust status with USCIS or apply for an immigrant visa at their U.S. Consulate abroad.
EB-3 applicants from countries other than India and China may also file applications to adjust status with USCIS or apply for an immigrant visa at their U.S. Consulate abroad if their priority date is earlier than January 1, 2014.
FORECAST FOR 2015
The February 2015 Visa Bulletin also provides some predictions on the movement of the cutoff dates for the next few months. These figures are only guesses, though, of potential future movement.
- EB-1: Expected to remain current throughout the rest of the year
- EB-2 Rest of the World: Expected to remain current throughout the rest of the year
- EB-2 India: Expected to move by 4-6 months per visa bulletin
- EB-2 China: Expected to move 3-6 weeks per visa bulletin
- EB-3 Rest of the World: Rapid movement is expected for the next 1-2 months, with retrogression possible in the next 6 months or so
- EB-3 China: Expected to move in the next 1-2 months, with retrogression possible in the next 6 months or so
- EB-3 India: Expected to move 3 weeks per visa bulletin
- EB-3 Mexico: Movement is expected for the next 1-2 months, with retrogression possible in the next 6 months or so
- EB-3 Philippines: Movement is expected for the next 1-2 months, with retrogression possible in the next 6 months or so