Change:

September 2018 Visa Bulletin

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

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

September 2018 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from September 1 to September 30 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 08APR11
08APR11 08APR11 01AUG97 15NOV06
F2A 22JUL16 22JUL16 22JUL16 01JUL16 22JUL16
F2B 01NOV11 01NOV11 01NOV11 22APR97 22APR07
F3 01MAY06 01MAY06 01MAY06 22DEC95  01JUN95
F4 08JAN05 08JAN05 08APR04 15JAN98 01JUN95
"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 08MAR12 08MAR12 08MAR12 01SEP98 15FEB08
F2A 01DEC17 01DEC17 01DEC17 01DEC17 01DEC17
F2B 22MAR14 22MAR14 22MAR14 08JUN97 15DEC07
F3 22SEP06 22SEP06 22SEP06 08OCT98 01AUG95
F4 01MAY05 01MAY05 01JAN05 01JUN98 01DEC95

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 VIETNAM
1st 01JUN16 01JAN12 01JUN16 01JAN12 01JUN16 01JUN16 01JUN16
2nd 01JAN13 01JAN13 01JAN13 01JAN07 01JAN13 01JAN13 01JAN13
3rd 01NOV16 01NOV14 01NOV16 01JAN03 01NOV16 01NOV16 01NOV16
Other Workers 01NOV16 01MAY07 01NOV16 01JAN03 01NOV16 01NOV16 01NOV16
4th C C 15FEB16 15FEB16 15FEB16 C C
Certain Religious Workers C C 15FEB16 15FEB16 15FEB16 C C
5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)
C 08AUG14 C C C C 08AUG14
5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)
C 08AUG14 C C C C 08AUG14
"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 01APR15 C 22MAY09  C C
3rd C 01JAN16 C 01MAY09 C 01JUL17
Other Workers C 01JUN08 C 01MAY09 C 01JUL17
4th C C 01MAY16 C C C
Certain Religious Workers C C 01MAY16 C C C
5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)
C 01OCT14 C C C C
5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)
C 01OCT14 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, it has been necessary to maintain a September Final Action Date of April 22, 2012.

E. 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 10th, USCIS provided the required data to VO.

The Department of State has determined the Family and Employment preference numerical limits for FY-2018 in accordance with the terms of Section 201 of the INA. These numerical limitations for FY-2018 are as follows:

Worldwide Family-Sponsored preference limit: 226,000
Worldwide Employment-Based preference limit: 140,292

Under INA Section 202(a), the per-country limit is fixed at 7% of the family and employment annual limits. For FY-2018 the per-country limit is 25,640. The dependent area annual limit is 2%, or 7,326.

F. FAMILY-SPONSORED VISA AVAILABILITY DURING SEPTEMBER

As mentioned in item E of the July Visa Bulletin, the level of applicant demand in several preference categories has been steadily increasing. This has resulted in the retrogression of the dates for several Family First and Third preference category dates for September. Such action has been necessary to hold number use within the worldwide annual limits.

The retrogression of the above mentioned family dates will only be temporary and in October, the first month of fiscal year 2019, the final action dates will be returned to (at least) those established for August.

G. OVERSUBSCRIPTION OF SEPTEMBER EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND AND THIRD PREFERENCE CATEGORIES

WORLDWIDE, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, MEXICO, AND PHILIPPINES EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND (E2), Third (E3), and Third Other Worker (EW) PREFERENCES: As readers were advised in item F of the July Visa Bulletin, there has been an extremely high rate of demand for Employment numbers, primarily for USCIS adjustment of status applicants as a result of the successful implementation of their new interview process. Therefore, pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act, it has been necessary to impose E2, E3, and EW Final Action Dates for the month of September with these dates being imposed immediately for new requests for visa numbers. This action will allow the Department to hold worldwide number use within the maximum allowed under the FY-2018 annual limits.

The implementation of the above mentioned dates will only be temporary and in October, the first month of fiscal year 2019, the final action dates will be returned to those established for August.

Readers were also advised in item F of the July Visa Bulletin that some retrogression might occur prior to the end of the fiscal year. It has been necessary to retrogress the September Final Action Dates for the China Employment-based Second, and India Employment Second, Third, and Third Other Worker preferences in an effort to hold worldwide number use within the maximum allowed under their FY-2018 annual limits. This will only be temporary and in October, the first month of fiscal year 2019, the final action dates will be returned to those established for August.

H. VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE COMING MONTHS

FAMILY-sponsored categories (potential monthly movement)

Worldwide dates:

F1: Up to three weeks (after October recovery)
F2A: Three to five weeks
F2B: Up to six weeks
F3: Three to five weeks (after October recovery)
F4: Up to five weeks

EMPLOYMENT-based categories (potential monthly movement)

Employment First:

WORLDWIDE (all countries): October Final Action Dates will be imposed for all countries. Limited, if any forward movement can be expected prior to December.

Employment Second:

Worldwide: Current for the foreseeable future.

China: Slow movement pending receipt of demand from recent advances

India: Up to two weeks

Employment Third:

Worldwide: Current

China: Up to three weeks

India: Slow movement pending receipt of demand from recent advances

Mexico: Current

Philippines: Minimal

Employment Fourth: Current for most countries

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

Mexico: Up to three months

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

China-mainland born: Up to one week

Vietnam: Steady forward movement

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.


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:
Charts & 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
Newsletter Subscribe:
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 donate using paypal button below and/or visit our friendly sponsors:

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