October 2019 Visa Bulletin

D. SCHEDULED EXPIRATION OF TWO EMPLOYMENT VISA CATEGORIES

Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR):

Pursuant to Section 102 of Division H, Title I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (Public Law 116-6), the non-minister special immigrant program expires on September 30, 2019. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight September 29, 2019. Visas issued prior to this date will only be issued with a validity date of September 29, 2019, and all individuals seeking admission as a non-minister special immigrant must be admitted (repeat, admitted) into the U.S. no later than midnight September 29, 2019.

The final action date for this category has been listed as “Unavailable” for October.

If there is legislative action extending this category for FY-2020, the final action date would immediately become “Current” for October for all countries except El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras which would be subject to a July 1, 2016 final action date and Mexico which would be subject to a May 1, 2017 final action date.

Employment Fifth Preference Categories (I5 and R5):

Section 104 of Division H, Title I of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 (Public Law 116-6) extended this immigrant investor pilot program until September 30, 2019. The I5 and R5 visas may be issued until close of business on September 30, 2019, 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 September 30, 2019.

The final action dates for the I5 and R5 categories have been listed as “Unavailable” for October.

If there is legislative action extending them for FY-2020, the final action dates would immediately become “Current” for October for all countries except China-mainland born I5 and R5 which would be subject to an October 22, 2014 final action date, India which would be subject to a November 22, 2017 final action date, and Vietnam I5 and R5 which would be subject to an October 15, 2016 final action date.

E. VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE COMING MONTHS

FAMILY-sponsored categories (potential monthly movement)

Worldwide dates:

F1: Up to two months
F2A: CURRENT, corrective action should be expected by February
F2B: Up to six weeks
F3: Up to one month
F4: Up to six weeks

EMPLOYMENT-based categories (potential monthly movement)

Employment First:

WORLDWIDE: Up to three months

China: Up to three months

India: Little if any forward movement

Employment Second:

Worldwide: Current

China: Up to two months

India: Up to one week

Employment Third:

Worldwide: Current

China: Little if any forward movement

India: Little if any forward movement

Mexico: Will remain at the Worldwide date

Philippines: Up to several months

Employment Fourth: Current for most countries

El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras: Little if any forward movement

Mexico: Up to four months

Employment Fifth: The category will remain “Current” for most countries

China, India, and Vietnam: Too early to predict

The above final action date projections for the Family and Employment categories indicate what is likely to happen on a monthly basis through January. The determination of the actual monthly final action dates is subject to fluctuations in applicant demand and a number of other variables.