Change:

February 2018 Visa Bulletin

For January 2018 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2018/visa-bulletin-january-2018.aspx

For analysis of February 2018 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2018/visa-bulletin-analysis-february-2018.aspx

February 2018 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from February 1 to February 28 only). Please see below for more details.

Family Based:
Final Action Dates
Dates For Filing Applications
"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.
Family-
Sponsored 
All Chargeability 
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-mainland 
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES 
F1 15MAR11
15MAR11 15MAR11 01JUL96 01AUG05
F2A 01MAR16 01MAR16 01MAR16 01FEB16 01MAR16
F2B 15JAN11 15JAN11 15JAN11 08SEP96 22JUL06
F3 15NOV05 15NOV05 15NOV05 22JUN95  15MAR95
F4 22JUL04 22JUL04 08JAN04 08NOV97 01OCT94
"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.
Family-
Sponsored 
All Chargeability 
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland 
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES 
F1 01JAN12 01JAN12 01JAN12 01NOV96 01OCT07
F2A 01NOV16 01NOV16 01NOV16 01NOV16 01NOV16
F2B 01SEP11 01SEP11 01SEP11 01JAN97 01SEP07
F3 01DEC05 01DEC05 01DEC05 01OCT95 15JUN95
F4 15NOV04 15NOV04 22JUN04 08FEB98 01MAR95

Employment Based:
Final Action Dates
Dates For Filing Applications
"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.
Employment-
based
All Chargeability 
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland 
born
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
1st C C C C C C
2nd 01OCT13 C 08DEC08 C C
3rd C 15SEP14 C 01DEC06  01MAR16
Other Workers C 01FEB07 01DEC06 01MAR16
4th C C 01DEC15  C 22JUN16  C
Certain Religious Workers U U U U U U
5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)
C 22JUL14 C C C C
5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)
U U U U U U
"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.
Employment-
based
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland 
born
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
INDIA MEXICO  PHILIPPINES 
1st C C C C C C
2nd C 15NOV14 C 08FEB09  C C
3rd C 01JAN16 C 01JAN08 C 01AUG16
Other Workers C 01JUN08 C 01JAN08 C 01AUG16
4th C C 15APR16 C C C
Certain Religious Workers C C 15APR16 C C C
5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)
C 01SEP14 C C C C
5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)
C 01SEP14 C C C C

Special Notice from USCIS:(Show/Hide)

D. 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 this year. As a result, it has been necessary to establish a February Final Action Date of April 22, 2012. 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.

E. SCHEDULED EXPIRATION OF TWO EMPLOYMENT VISA CATEGORIES

Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR):

Pursuant to the continuing resolution, signed on December 22, 2017, the non-minister special immigrant program expires on January 19, 2018. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight January 18, 2018. Visas issued prior to this date will only be issued with a validity date of January 18, 2018, and all individuals seeking admission as a non-minister special immigrant must be admitted (repeat, admitted) into the U.S. no later than midnight January 18, 2018.

The final action date for this category has been listed as “Unavailable” for February. If there is legislative action extending this category for FY-2018, the final action date would immediately become “Current” for February for all countries except El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras which would be subject to a December 1, 2015 final action date, and for Mexico which would be subject to a June 22, 2016 date.

Employment Fifth Preference Categories (I5 and R5):

The continuing resolution signed on December 22, 2017 extended this immigrant investor pilot program until January 19, 2018. The I5 and R5 visas may be issued until close of business on January 19, 2018, 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 January 19, 2018.

The final action dates for the I5 and R5 categories have been listed as “Unavailable” for February. If there is legislative action extending them for FY-2018, the final action dates would immediately become “Current” for February for all countries except China-mainland born I5 and R5 which would be subject to a July 22, 2014 final action date.

F. VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE COMING MONTHS

FAMILY-sponsored categories (potential monthly movement)

Worldwide dates:

F1: Up to one month
F2A: Three to five weeks
F2B: Three to six weeks
F3: Up to five weeks
F4: Up to three weeks

EMPLOYMENT-based categories (potential monthly movement)

Employment First: The category will remain “Current” for all countries for the next several months.

Employment Second:

Worldwide: Current
China: Several months
India: Up to two weeks

Employment Third:

Worldwide: Current
China: Up to five months
India: One to three months
Mexico: Current
Philippines: Up to one month

Employment Fourth: Current for most countries

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: Up to three weeks

Mexico: Some forward movement

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

China-mainland born: Little if any forward movement.

Vietnam: Will become subject to a final action date no later than April. The China-mainland born and Vietnam Employment Fifth preference dates would be the same.

The above final action date projections for the Family and Employment categories indicate what is likely to happen on a monthly basis through April and May based on current applicant demand patterns. Readers should never assume that recent trends in final action date movements are guaranteed for the future, or that "corrective" action will not be required at some point in an effort to maintain number use within the applicable annual limits. The determination of the actual monthly final action dates is subject to fluctuations in applicant demand and a number of other variables.


Also See:

More Options: If you are new to immigration process or would like to see what other immigration options are available, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/immigration/

Email Newsletter: To receive email as soon as latest visa bulletin is released, please click here.

When Can I Get My Green Card: Get step-by-step details on when you can expect to get your green card (including latest timeframe for each step of GC process for both EB and FB categories).

USCIS/NVC Timeframe: Please click here to see how long it currently takes to process application.

Current Step: If your priority date is not current, then you can calculate when it may become current, check your case status, case processing time, etc: https://www.mygcvisa.com/calculator

Next Steps: If priority date is current and

1. If applicant is inside US, they will have to file I-485: https://blog.mygcvisa.com/2013/04/how-to-file-i-485-application.html

2. If applicant is outside US, it will be sent to NVC: https://www.mygcvisa.com/nvc/overview-after-nvc-petition-approved.aspx

Recommended Reading:

Please click here for latest immigration news or see the top menu for analysis, news stories and other useful FAQ or USCIS links.
Discuss With Everyone: View Previous 16,500+ comments


Live Visitors:
Current Online Users:
GC Dates & Calculator:
Visa Bulletin Details:
Visa Bulletins:

View 2024 Visa BulletinsView 2023 Visa BulletinsView 2022 Visa Bulletins
View 2021 Visa BulletinsView 2020 Visa BulletinsView 2019 Visa BulletinsView 2018 Visa BulletinsView 2017 Visa BulletinsView 2016 Visa BulletinsView 2015 Visa BulletinsView 2014 Visa BulletinsView 2013 Visa BulletinsView 2012 Visa BulletinsView 2011 Visa BulletinsView 2010 Visa BulletinsView 2009 Visa BulletinsView 2008 Visa BulletinsView 2007 Visa BulletinsView 2006 Visa BulletinsView 2005 Visa BulletinsView 2004 Visa BulletinsView 2003 Visa BulletinsView 2002 Visa Bulletins
Subscribe To Newsletter:
Get latest visa bulletin and blog posts sent directly to your email address.
Our Friendly Sponsor:
Find Us On Facebook:


Support Site:

If you would like to support this site, please click on paypal button below and visit our friendly sponsors:

Support Via PayPal
Immigrant & Non Immigrant Visas
Rate My Professor Celebrity Net Worth