Business Immigration Weekly for March 18, 2016

Visa Bulletin for April 2016

The Department of State (DOS) released the monthly Visa Bulletin and below is a summary of green card Final Action Dates and Dates For Filing dates for employment-based immigrant visa categories for the month of April.

PLEASE NOTE: Per a new USCIS policy, a week after the Department of State (DOS) issues its monthly Visa Bulletin indicating immigrant visa availability for the next month, the USCIS will make its own separate determination on green card availability. If green cards are available for a certain category, the USCIS will post its own notice on its website at: www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo to alert immigrants applying in those categories with more availability, that they may use the Dates for Filing chart and not the Final Action Date chart. Thus immigrants may no longer rely on the DOS Visa Bulletin, but must wait one week after its publication and then look to the USCIS to see whether a green card is available to them.

Green Card "Dates for Filing" Availability Dates

Individuals with priority dates prior to the dates listed in the chart below are eligible to file their green card applications during the month of April.

Green Card Approval "Final Action Dates"

Individuals with priority dates prior to the dates listed in the chart below have a green card available to them during the month of April, therefore, the US government may take final action on their case.

Below is a summary of changes from the visa bulletin for last month for Final Action Dates:

• The EB-2 China category has advanced several months from August 1, 2012 to September 1, 2012.
• The EB-2 India category has advanced several weeks from October 15, 2008 to November 8, 2008.
• The EB-3 World and Mexico categories have advanced from January 1, 2016 to February 15, 2016.
• The EB-3 China category advances from June 1, 2013 to August 15, 2013.
• The EB-3 India category advances several months from July 15, 2004 to August 8, 2008.
• The EB-3 Philippines category advances several months from March 15, 2008 to May 1, 2008.
• The EB-5 China advances a few days from January 22, 2014 to February 1, 2014.

Month-to-month availability of immigrant visas varies and depends on many factors. The entire Visa Bulletin can be viewed at: http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/law-and-policy/bulletin/2016/visa-bulletin-for-april-2016.html.