Monday, September 17, 2018

OCTOBER 2018 VISA BULLETIN: TRENDS AND PREDICTIONS

The Department of State has just issued the October 2018 Visa Bulletin.  This is the first Visa Bulletin of Fiscal Year 2019.  This blog post analyzes this month's Visa Bulletin.  

The USCIS is allowing Adjustment of Status filings based off of Table B, Dates of Filing.  If you are physically in the US, you can file your I-485 on October 1, if your priority date is earlier than the date in Table B.

October 2018 Visa Bulletin

Table A: Final Action Dates -- Applications with these dates may be approved for their Green Card (Permanent Residency card) or Immigrant Visa appointment.

EB 
Class 
All Other  
CHINA       
INDIA     
MEXICO   
PHIL'PNES    
EB-1
01APR17
01JUN16
01JUN16
01APR17
01APR17
EB-2
C
01APR15
26MAR09 
C
C
EB-3
C
01JUN15
01JAN09 
C 

01JUN17    

Table B: Dates for Filing -- The DOS may work on applications with these dates. But the Visa cannot be approved until the date is current per Table A.


EB 
Class 
All Other  
CHINA       
INDIA     
MEXICO   
PHIL'PNES    
EB-1
01JUN18
01OCT17
01OCT17
01JUN18
01JUN18
EB-2
C
15JUN15
22MAY09 
C
C
EB-3
08AUG15
01OCT09 

01JUL17       


MU Law Analysis (all references are to Table A unless noted)


All Other, Mexico:  EB2 and EB3 returned to current, as we expected.  They should stay current for most/all of FY2019.

China: The EB2 and EB3 dates moved into CY2015.  Our sense is that these dates will stay in 2015, slowly improving over this Fiscal Year.

India: These dates moved back into 2009, again as expected. We expect to steady progress in both categories in FY2019. 

Philippines: The fact that the EB-3 Final Action date stayed in 2017 is a terrific sign, indicating that there may be fewer immigrant visas in the pipeline than we had expected.  Over the course of FY2019, we should eventually see the EB-3 priority date extend into CY2018, both in Tables A and B.



21 comments:

  1. Hello. My pd is Oct 5,2017. Is it possible to be current early next year? Thanks

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  2. Mine. Is on March 29, 2018. Will I be expexting next year it will be current?

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  3. Hi my PD is July 2018. Can we expect it to be current earlier or later next year?

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  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  5. Hi MU,

    How far will EB2 - India move in the next few months( say by March 2019)

    Will it cross August 2009 at all in 2019 FY

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EB2 may move slowly. A recent comment by DOS indicates that India EB-3 could surpass Eb-2, as it has with China.

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  6. So when do you forecast EB2 India will cross August 2009? I mean - will it be between March-August 2019 to be current?

    Thanks once again

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    Replies
    1. yes- I think that it will cross Aug 2009 in mid-2019.

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  7. Hi! Good day. I was luckily chosen at this years h1b lottery. However as checking on my case online it says an additional request evidence was needed. I already sent all my required documents to my employer. Just like to ask if when will I get my petitions approval from USCIS. I've been patiently waiting for exactly 4 months for it. Thank you so much

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm in the same situation except that the RFE is being requested from my employer and not from my end. I've been waiting for 4 months too and I've heard that the decision can take even until November or December for those with RFE's but then again, I'm not a lawyer. It's stressful waiting for the decision and I'm just looking into online forums.

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    2. You should check with the attorneys and employers on your H-1Bs. RFE Replies can take 3 months to prepare in some cases, and then the USCIS can take another 2 months to review.

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  8. hi! my PD is feb 2018, is it possible to be current in the first quarter of 2019?

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  9. Charlie Oppenheim in his update indicated that EB-1 China and India won’t likely go current for FY 2019....but what about EB-1 world wide? Some have indicated that final action dates will move forward but not go current

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    Replies
    1. My math says that they should be current, but Charlie is obviously closer to this than I am.

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  10. Hello MU

    Will the filing dates for EB2 INDIA move in the October Bulletin? Also, I asked my attorney to downgrade my EB2 to EB3 INDIA so I can get my EAD\AP card but they aren't recommending, What are your thoughts on that? My Priority date is july 2nd 2009 EB2 INDIA. If you recommend downgrading can i reach out to you and get an estimated cost of filing 485\140 concurrently. I'm planning on doing it myself and employer will provide required documentation.

    Appreciate your response

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Vijay:

      Email your question to Chris: c.musillo@muimmigration.com

      Delete
  11. June 26 2017 PD possible to be current next VB?

    ReplyDelete

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