The Department of State’s January 2015 Visa Bulletin was published this week and these are the highlights:
Employment: EB-2 India stayed exactly the same, as it has for the last several months, at February 15, 2005. EB-2 China progressed one month from January 1, 2010, to February 1, 2010, and this rate of movement three to five weeks at a time) is expected to continue.
EB-3 Mexico and Philippines continue in lock step with the worldwide category. All three moved forward by seven months, from November 1, 2012, to June 1, 2013. A year and a half EB-3 waitlist seems quite reasonable, so it is great to see how much EB-3 has moved forward in recent months, all the way from April 1, 2011, in September 2014. The Department of State projected in November 2014 that the rapid forward movement would continue for “several months” until so many people from the EB-3 wait list apply for permanent residence that movement will slow. So far, the forward movement is only getting more dramatic.
EB-3 China also moved forward very quickly (nine months!), from June 1, 2010, to March 1, 2011. The Department of State noted in November that “’corrective’ action” may be required “possibly as early as February.” EB-3 India again moved just two weeks (to December 15, 2003) and is not expected to progress much more in the near future.
EB-1, EB-2 (other than India and China), EB-4 and EB-5 are still current.
Family: FB-1: The first family-based category, for unmarried adult sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, moved two weeks forward to July 8, 2007, for worldwide, China, and India. Mexico moved four weeks to September 15, 1994, and the Philippines moved ahead by just one week to December 22, 2004.
FB-2A: 2A, for spouses and minor children of permanent residents, moved six weeks for Mexico (after a three-month progress last month), from January 1, 2013, to February 22, 2013. The 2A category moved three weeks forward for worldwide, China, India, and the Philippines, from March 22, 2013, to April 15, 2013.
FB-2B: The category for adult unmarried sons and daughters of permanent also moves incrementally, with five weeks of movement for worldwide, China and India, from February 22, 2008, to April 1, 2008. Mexico 2B moved from October 1, 1994, to November 1, 1994, still much more forward movement than we used to seeing for this category. Philippines 2B again moved just two weeks, to February 1, 2004.
FB-3: Adult married children of U.S. citizens in the FB-3 category again moved one week for everyone worldwide, China, and India, to December 22, 2003. Mexico moved one month, to December 15, 1993, and the Philippines moved two weeks to July 8, 1993.
FB-4: The category for brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens moved forward by one month, with the exception of Mexico, with three weeks forward, and the Philippines, which moved by six weeks. Worldwide, China and India are now current for priority dates of before March 22, 2002. Mexico moved to March 22, 1997, and Philippines to July 15, 1991.