Change:

January 2020 Visa Bulletin

For December 2019 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2019/visa-bulletin-december-2019.aspx

For analysis of January 2020 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2020/visa-bulletin-analysis-january-2020.aspx

January 2020 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from January 1 to January 31 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 15JUL13
15JUL13 15JUL13 08AUG97 15JAN09
F2A C C C C C
F2B 08AUG14 08AUG14 08AUG14 22AUG98 01FEB09
F3 15NOV07 15NOV07 15NOV07 01MAR96 01JAN99
F4 01FEB07 01FEB07 08NOV04 08JAN98 01MAR99
"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 15MAR14 15MAR14 15MAR14 15NOV99 15SEP09
F2A 01NOV19 01NOV19 01NOV19 01NOV19 01NOV19
F2B 08APR15 08APR15 08APR15 22APR99 01OCT09
F3 15JUL08 15JUL08 15JUL08 15JUL00 01SEP99
F4 22JUL07 22JUL07 08JUL05 01JAN99 01NOV99

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 01OCT18 22MAY17 01OCT18 01JAN15 01OCT18 01OCT18 01OCT18
2nd C 01JUL15 C 18MAY09 C C C
3rd C 01DEC15 C 01JAN09 C 15MAR18 C
Other Workers C 01APR08 C 01JAN09 C 15MAR18 C
4th C C 01JUL16 C 08AUG17 C C
Certain Religious Workers U U U U U U U
5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)
C 22NOV14 C 01MAY18 C C 08DEC16
5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)
U 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 01OCT17 C 15MAR17 C C
2nd C 01AUG16 C 01JUL09  C C
3rd 01JAN19 01MAR17 01JAN19 01FEB10 01JAN19 01JAN19
Other Workers 01JAN19 01AUG08 01JAN19 01FEB10 01JAN19 01JAN19
4th C C 15AUG16 C C C
Certain Religious Workers C C 15AUG16 C C C
5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)
C 15MAY15 C C C C
5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)
C 15MAY15 C C C C

Special Notice from USCIS:(Show/Hide)

D. SCHEDULED EXPIRATION OF TWO EMPLOYMENT VISA CATEGORIES

Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR):

Pursuant to the continuing resolution signed on November 21, 2019, the non-minister special immigrant program expires on December 20, 2019. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight December 19, 2019. Visas issued prior to this date will only be issued with a validity date of December 19, 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 December 19, 2019.

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

If there is legislative action extending this category for FY 2020, the final action date would immediately become “Current” for January 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 an August 8, 2017 final action date.


Employment Fifth Preference Categories (I5 and R5):

Pursuant to the continuing resolution signed on November 21, 2019, the immigrant investor pilot program is extended until December 20, 2019. The I5 and R5 visas may be issued until close of business on December 20, 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 December 20, 2019.

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

If there is legislative action extending the categories for FY 2020, the final action dates would immediately become “Current” for January for all countries except China-mainland born I5 and R5, which would be subject to a November 22, 2014 final action date; India I5 and R5, which would be subject to a May 1, 2018 final action date; and Vietnam I5 and R5, which would be subject to a December 8, 2016 final action date.

E. FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE COMING MONTHS

F2A: In July this category was made “Current” in an effort to generate new demand for use under the annual limit. Information received during discussions with the National Visa Center indicates that this action has finally begun to have the intended results. Therefore, it is likely that a final action date will be imposed within the next few months. This action is unlikely to have any negative impact on those who have already acted on their case in a timely manner prior to the announcement of the January final action dates.

F4: It had been necessary to advance the “Rest of World” final action date at a very rapid pace in an effort to generate sufficient demand to reach the annual limit throughout the past two fiscal years. While such movements had produced the desired results with the limit, the level of demand never increased at an equivalent pace.

That pattern has changed in recent months resulting in a dramatic increase in the level of Family-sponsored Fourth preference demand. This sustained level of demand will require the retrogression of the “Rest of World” final action date, which is likely to occur for February. Such action would be required in an effort to hold number use within the category’s FY 2020 annual limit.

F. VISA AVAILABILITY IN THE COMING MONTHS

FAMILY-sponsored categories (potential monthly movement)

Worldwide dates:

F1: Up to six weeks
F2A: Final Action Date established
F2B: Up to three weeks
F3: One to three weeks
F4: Once the retrogression occurs that date is likely to be held for a period of time

EMPLOYMENT-based categories (potential monthly movement)

Employment First:

WORLDWIDE: Rapid forward movement expected, potentially becoming Current
China: Up to three weeks
India: Little if any forward movement is expected

Employment Second:

Worldwide: A date will most likely be imposed at some point during the second half of the fiscal year
China: Up to one month
India: Up to one week

Employment Third:

Worldwide: A date will most likely be imposed no later than March
China: Up to six weeks
India: Up to three weeks
Mexico: Will remain at the Worldwide date
Philippines: Up to one month

Employment Third – Other Workers:

Worldwide: A date will most likely be imposed no later than March

Employment Fourth: Current for most countries

El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras: Little if any movement through May
India: A date will most likely be imposed no later than July
Mexico: Limited forward movement

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

China: It may be possible to advance the date at a slightly faster pace
India: Likely to advance at a very rapid pace until the level of demand increases
Vietnam: Limited 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 April or May. 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:

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