how to read visa bulletin

Complete Guide to the Visa Bulletin

• Identify your green card category. The first step to reading the visa bulletin is identifying your “preference category.” This just means the type of green card application that you would ...
• Determine your country of chargeability. ...
• Find your priority date. ...
• Figure out what chart to use: We are almost to the end, can you believe it? ...

Full Answer

Is the Visa Bulletin hard to read?

For anyone going through the green card process, you’re probably familiar or at least heard of the visa bulletin. The visa bulletin can be difficult to read and navigate. Here are some useful tips and a few examples. The visa bulletin is issued every month by the Department of State and, simply put, it shows three things:

What is the priority date on the Visa Bulletin?

Important terms in the Visa Bulletin Priority date: This is the date that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received your I-130 petition. Think of this date as your place in the green card line. You can find your priority date on the I-797 form mailed by USCIS approving your I-130 petition.

How to find out when Visa Bulletin is released?

There are multiple ways to find out when visa bulletin is released: Frequently visit US State Department website every day between 7th and 23rd of each month. Frequently call US State Department at (202) 485-7699 to get recorded message with the Final Action date information.

What is the Visa Bulletin for USCIS?

The Visa Bulletin. USCIS, in coordination with Department of State (DOS), is revising the procedures for determining visa availability for applicants waiting to file for employment-based or family-sponsored preference adjustment of status.

What does the Visa Bulletin tell you?

You have reached the front of the line when your priority date becomes "current." The U.S. Department of State publishes a monthly visa bulletin that lists the priority dates which have become current. In other words, these are the priority dates that now have an immigrant visa available to be claimed.

What is final action date in visa bulletin?

A: The Final Action Date on the Visa Bulletin is the date when an immigrant visa is available and a green card may finally be issued. A green card case cannot be completed (approved) unless the applicant's priority date is earlier than the Final Action Date listed on the Visa Bulletin.

How do I check my visa bulletin?

Open the Department of State visa bulletin at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin.html. Click on the month of the “Current Visa Bulletin”. 4. Find your Table.

When my priority date will be current?

Your priority date have to be before visa bulletin cutoff date to be current. Example, if visa bulletin date is 05MAY11, your priority date have to be May 4 or earlier to be current. If you PD is May 5, you will have to wait for next visa bulletin.

Will USCIS speed up 2022?

USCIS Extends Premium-Processing to Certain Pending Immigrant Petitions. On May 24, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced an expansion of premium processing service to two additional categories of Form I-140 immigrant petitions.

What priority date means?

Priority date is the date on which an application was filed with the immigration authorities. It is used by the Department of State (DOS) to determine an individual's place in line in the visa queue where there are a limited number of immigrant visas available in a given year.

How do I know if my visa is approved?

Check the Status of a Visa Application For nonimmigrant visas, call 1-603-334-0888. Or use the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC).

How do I read my DV case number?

The first four digits of your application is the fiscal year in which you are eligible to apply for permanent residence. Followed by two English Letters as acronyms to represent the region this applicant is from. Only the last 8 digits are your case number.

How do I read my NVC case number?

The NVC case number has three letters followed by ten numbers. The three letters are an abbreviation for the overseas embassy or consulate that will process the immigrant visa case (for example, JAK for Jakarta, MNL for Manila). The digits tell the NVC exactly when it created the case.

Does USCIS check Internet history?

This does not permit USCIS to search your social media account or internet history, but the agency is now collecting and storing records of your social media use available in the public domain.

Can you lose your priority date?

Now, a priority date can only be lost under two circumstances which are: If the employer's I-140 is revoked by the USCIS because of fraud. If there is a determination by the USCIS that the I-140 approval was based on "material error"

How long does it take for NVC to schedule interview 2022?

How long does it take to get an appointment? Although NVC strives to schedule appointments within three months of NVC's acceptance of all requested documentation, this timeframe is subject to the operating status and capacity of the consular section.

What is final action date and date of filing?

Now, the “Date for Filing” determines whether or not you can submit the final immigrant visa application, and the “Final Action Date” indicates whether or not it is expected that an immigrant visa number will be available.

What happens after final action date becomes current?

Generally, it is cause for celebration when these individuals' priority dates become current, as then are eligible to apply for adjustment of status. When the Final Action Date becomes current, the individual should receive permanent residence.

How long it takes to get green card after final action date is current?

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A GREEN CARD? After filing Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status, and related forms, your I-485 processing time can take anywhere from 8 to 14 months. The basis of your adjustment of status (e.g. family, employment, asylum, etc.) will be a significant factor. This is an approximation.

What does last action mean?

What Is The Last Action Rule? As the name implies, The Last Action Rule means that the last action by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will determine an aspiring American's immigration status.

How often is the visa bulletin issued?

The visa bulletin is issued every month by the Department of State. It shows which green card applications can move forward, based on when the I-130 petition that starts the green card process was originally filed. It also lets you estimate how long it will take before you will be able to get your green card, based on how quickly the “line” is moving now. Once your I-130 petition has been filed, you’ll be able to check the visa bulletin and watch your place in line move forward.

What does "current" mean in visa?

Current: In the context of the visa bulletin, “current” means no backlog and no wait time for a green card. A particular priority date becomes “current” once it reaches the front of the line and a green card is available.

Why is there a backlog for green cards?

Green card backlogs and the Visa Bulletin. The visa bulletin exists because Congress caps the number of green cards that can be issued each year . The number of people who are seeking green cards has consistently exceeded this annual limit, creating a backlog—in fact, several backlogs.

How long does it take to get a green card?

If you’re the spouse or unmarried child (under age 21) of a U.S. green card holder, you’ll have to wait extra 12-18 months for your green card to become available.

What is the maximum number of green cards you can get in a year?

F1 (first preference): Unmarried adults (age 21 and over) who are children of U.S. citizens. The cap for this category is 23,400 green cards per year.

What is the visa bulletin?

The U.S. Department of State issues the “ visa bulletin ” each month. The visa bulletin shows you when you may proceed with your green card application based on when you originally filed your Form I-130 (the “Petition for Alien Relative”).

How to read the visa bulletin

To read the visa bulletin correctly, you’ll first need to familiarize yourself with some important terms and procedures.

What is a visa retrogression?

Typically, cut-off dates for the visa bulletin continue to move forward. But, sometimes U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of State get more green card applications for certain categories in a month than they had expected. When this happens, the cut-off dates for the next month may move backward.

Conclusion

Applying for a green card can be complicated, but working with a good immigration attorney can make it easier. If you can't afford the attorney fees and don't want to handle your green card case alone, we may be able to help.

When is the visa bulletin for 2020?

How to Read the Visa Bulletin. May 25, 2020. May 15 , 2020 by crispinaranda. To ensure that admitting huge numbers of new permanent residents will not overwhelm the economy of the United States, the U.S. government follows a strict visa allocation system. The U.S. Department of State reports the availability of immigrant numbers in its monthly ...

What is the Department of State's report for visas?

Each month, the Visa Office of the Department of State receives a report for each consular post for allocating visa numbers of categories subject to numerical limitations. Part of this report lists the number of documentarily qualified immigrant visa applicants. There are essential things to remember:

How many immigrant visas are issued in the US each year?

Under the Immigration and Nationality Act, the U.S. government may issue up to 675,000 immigrant visas each year. There are, however, more than that number of applicants every year. In fact, the Department of State or DOS, has over three million immigrant visa applicants in its database. This includes applicants within the U.S. waiting to adjust their status and applicants living outside the U.S. waiting for their interviews at a consular post. The DOS however, issues visas according to the visa categories and the date by which the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, or USCIS, receives a specific visa petition.

What is the priority date for visas?

Visa petitions are queued based on the date the USCIS filed and acknowledged them. The date of filing is the “priority date.”

When did the EB3 visas go retrograde?

The USCIS did this to reduce the backlog in July 2007. By reallocating visa numbers, the EB3 category suffered retrogression until the Visa Office made employment preference numbers available in October of that year.

How many visas are there per country?

There is a per-country yearly allocation of 25,620 for immigrant visa numbers.

What is VO visa?

The Visa Office (VO) computes the annual preference and foreign state limitations into monthly allotments. Several factors determine the numbers available for a specific allotment period, including:

What is the visa bulletin?

Here are some useful tips and a few examples. The visa bulletin is issued every month by the Department of State and, simply put, it shows three things: Which categories are eligible for filing of the green card application (i.e. I-485 if you are in the U.S.).

How many charts are there on the visa bulletin?

There are also two charts on the visa bulletin to understand:

What is priority date for green card?

Priority Date: This is your place in line. It determines when you can file the green card application (I-485).

Is the visa bulletin easy to read?

The visa bulletin is by no means an easy read and can require a lot of research in order to gain a full understanding of your personal status. That's why Legalpad has developed a tool to help you find out in minutes if you are eligible to file your green card application. Get started here!

Can I use my spouse's country of birth for I-485?

Retrogression is the priority date on the visa bulletin moving backwards due to increase in demand. Cross-chargeability: If I-485s for you and your spouse are filed together, you can both use your spouse’s country of birth for filing the I-485s.

Introduction

T he Visa Bulletin is a monthly publication issued by the US Department of State. The visa bulletin discloses the following three items of information:

Why the Visa Bulletin is Required Reading for Visa and Green Card Applicants?

The bulletin exists, according to Legal Pad, because the number of green cards that can be issued yearly is capped. There are also limits based on the country the immigrant lives in. As a rule, there’s always a backlog. The bulletin is essentially a way for applicants to watch their place in line. The cap number may change from year to year.

The Overall Caps by Family-Based Green Cards

There are four basic family classifications, according to Boundless. Each of these classifications has the following current caps:

The Overall Caps for Employment-Based Green Cards

Workers can apply for green cards based on their priority and based on the following cap levels – most of which are based on a percentage. According to the December 2020 Visa Bulletin, the employment categories are:

Is there a Cap on the Number of Green Cards for the Spouses of US Citizens?

The good answer is no. The spousal cap only applies to spouses of US green card holders, not to spouses of US citizens. Since there isn’t a limit on spousal green cards – there’s no backlog and thus no need to review the visa bulletin.

A Few Key Visa Bulletin Definitions

There are a few precise terms that are used in the Visa Bulletin that it helps to understand (or to have an experienced immigration lawyer explain to you). These terms are:

What are the Visa Bulletin Charts?

The Visa Bulletin uses four charts to determine your place in line. How to use and read these charts are discussed in a separate article.

How to find out when the visa bulletin is released?

There are multiple ways to find out when visa bulletin is released: Frequently visit US State Department website every day between 7th and 23rd of each month. Frequently call US State Department at (202) 485-7699 to get recorded message with the Final Action date information.

What is visa bulletin?

Visa Bulletin is the monthly report released by US State Department (DOS) with the help of US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and various field offices all over the world. Applicants whose priority date, based on their family-based (I-130) or employment-based (PERM/I-140) petition, is before the posted date are eligible to move forward.

When does DV status end?

Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2021 program ends as of September 30. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2021 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2021 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until Sept 30. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2020 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.

How often should I check my visa?

This will give you a rough idea about what dates they are currently processing application. After your I-130/I-140 application is approved, you should start checking it every month.

When does visa retrogression occur?

Visa retrogression generally occurs when the annual limit for a category or country has been used up or is expected to be used up soon. When the new fiscal year begins on October 1, a new supply of visa numbers is available for allocation.

How to contact the US State Department about the final action date?

Frequently call US State Department at (202) 485-7699 to get recorded message with the Final Action date information.

What is the maximum quota for immigrants to the US?

In addition, Congress has set a limit of max 7% quota for each country to increase diversity of applicants immigrating to US. Without this limit, most of the immigrants will be from countries with high numbers of applications (India, China, Mexico and Philippines).

What is the Visa Bulletin?

Published each month, the Department of State’s visa bulletin announces the estimated waiting times for certain family and employment-based visa petitions. In other words, the visa bulletin will tell you how long the waiting line is for certain immigrant-visa categories and allow you to determine approximately where in line a particular petition is at any given time. However, it is important to understand that the visa bulletin is only a snapshot in time, and not necessarily an accurate indicator of how long it will take for a particular visa petition to become current. Once your petition for the visa is filed, Monthly Visa Bulletin will help you to find your place in the queue. You can find out the estimated time it will take before Green Card applicant are approved by using this bulletin. While you can notice the rise in employment-based green card holders in recent years, this does not mean that it is going to provide any ease for the long wait times. It is also important to understand how to read Visa bulletin. Visa Bulletin only includes two types of visas i.e. employment-based visas and family-based green cards. These types are further divided into many categories that we will discuss later.

Why is the Visa Bulletin Important?

The visa bulletin is the best means for determining how long the line is for each of the preference categories, as well as the current place in line for any particular visa petition. The dates listed in the bulletin are the current priority dates for the various visa categories. To understand this you must know how to read the USCIS Visa bulletin.To be eligible for a visa, an aspiring immigrant must be the beneficiary of an approved visa petition with an “individual priority date” before the corresponding date listed in the visa bulletin. The individual priority date is shown on the receipt notices and the approval notice for the visa petition. By matching this date against the appropriate, current priority date shown in the bulletin, the hopeful immigrant (and his or her petitioning relative) can determine where in line their petition is.

How Are the Visa Numbers for the Other Categories Determined?

The F1 category, for the unmarried sons and daughters (21 or older) of U.S. citizens, is capped at 23,400 visas per year, with any unused numbers from the F4 category added to this amount.

How Available Visa Numbers Are Determined

The Consular Post and Reallocation of Visa Numbers

• Each month, the Visa Office of the Department of State receives a report for each consular post for allocating visa numbers of categories subject to numerical limitations. Part of this report lists the number of documentarily qualified immigrant visa applicants. There are essential things to remember: 1. Immediate Relatives are not subject to numer...

See more on visacenter.org

Visa Categories and Visa Numbers