how to read visa bulletin family based

How to read a Visa Bulletin correctly?

Though you have seen that to read a Visa bulletin correctly you should be aware of your priority date and your Family preference category. One can easily determine his or her family preference category, it is based on the relationship with the petitioner. Check the chart below for better understanding:

How do I read the family preference Bulletin?

To read the visa bulletin, you'll need to know your Family Preference category and priority date. Applicants priority date is the date when he or she has filed the I-130. Finding Priority date is easy as it is mentioned on the I-797 Notice of Action. When your priority date becomes current, your immigrant visa will be available to claim.

What is the date of filing in the Visa Bulletin?

The date of filing is the “priority date.” The Visa Bulletin supports the visa allocation system. It has two charts showing the preference categories. The first chart is the “Date of Filing Chart.” It shows the priority dates ready for processing with the National Visa Center, a sub-agency of the DOS.

How do I Find my priority date for family preference visas?

The numerical limit for family preference immigrant visas creates a wait list. The applicant’s “place in line” is designated with a priority date. The filing date of the I-130 petition becomes the applicant's priority date. When USCIS accepts Form I-130, they will also assign a priority date. Locating your priority date is fairly easy.

How do you read Visa Bulletin for spouse?

How to Read the Visa BulletinHow to Read the Visa Bulletin.Determine Your Priority Date. The numerical limit for family preference immigrant visas creates a wait list. ... Determine Your Family Preference Category. Your family preference category is based on your relationship with the petitioner.

What is family-based visa category?

Family-based visas (FB) are an immigrant visa category where a U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident (LPR) petitions for a relative for immigration to the United States.

How do you read a DV Visa Bulletin?

6:489:38How to read Visa Bulletin - DV Lottery - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNumber is current for that month it is in the month that the visa bulletin.MoreNumber is current for that month it is in the month that the visa bulletin.

What is the priority date for family-based green card?

What is Family-Based Green Card Priority Date? The priority date is used to determine each applicant's place in the visa waiting line. It is established based on the date that a properly filed I-130 is received by the USCIS.

What is f1 f2a F2B f3 f4 visa?

The immigration law of US allows that the foreign citizen who has relation with US citizen or US permanent resident could immigrate to US based on the family relation, which is US family immigration class.

What are the two categories of family-based immigration?

All family-based immigrants fall into one of two major categories, immediate relative or family preference.

How do you read a DV case number?

1:464:08What is CASE NUMBER in DV Lottery? Can you trick ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt will say congratulations blah blah blah blah all the way in the at the bottom they will be havingMoreIt will say congratulations blah blah blah blah all the way in the at the bottom they will be having your case number the case number will be starting with the year of the fiscal. Year the v2022.

How DV lottery winners are selected?

The winners of the Diversity Visa lottery are chosen at random by a computer program, with a certain number of visas allocated to each region of the world and no one country receiving more than 7% of the Diversity Visas available in any 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 long does it take for family based green card?

Green cards for parents of U.S. citizens For parents of U.S. citizens, the process usually takes 10-13 months. Like for spouses of U.S. citizens, there is no limit on the number of green cards. Therefore, you can generally get a green card based on your parent relationship within one year.

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 does final action dates for family sponsored preference cases mean?

The “final action dates” or “application final action dates” are the dates when the actual green card numbers are available for that category & country of birth, so that the final Green Cards or immigrant visas can be issued.

How does Visa Bulletin Work?

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.

What does visa Class F11 mean?

Unmarried son or daughter of U.S.F11. Unmarried son or daughter of U.S. citizen.

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.

What does no wait in Visa Bulletin mean?

The Visa Bulletin uses “Current (C)” to indicate that there's no backlog/no wait time for a green card. A priority date becomes current when it reaches the front of the line which indicates a green card is available. An entire preference category can also be current – if that category has no backlog/wait time.

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.

What Makes the F2A Category Special?

If you look at the visa bulletin, you’ll notice that the wait for a green card is much shorter for the F2A category than it is for any other family-based preference category. That is good news if you’re the spouse of a U.S. green card holder!

What is the F2A category?

F2A: Spouses and unmarried minor children (under age 21) of green card holders. If you are a green card holder who has applied for a green card for your spouse, this is the category you’ll need to watch when you check the visa bulletin. 77% of the second category quota goes towards this F2A sub-category (that’s 87,934 green cards per year).

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.

Can I get a green card for my spouse?

Since there is no annual limit, there is no backlog, no line to wait in, and nothing to see in the visa bulletin. Spouses of U.S. citizens can apply for a green card as soon as their I-130 petition is approved.

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.

Who is entitled to a visa number?

Only persons with a priority date earlier than a final action date are entitled to a visa number.

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.

What is the Department of State's bulletin?

The Department of State publishes a monthly Visa Bulletin that tells applicants when their Priority Date is current. Applicants must wait for their Priority Date to become current before they can apply for a Green Card.

How many F4 brothers and sisters are there?

Fourth: (F4) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.

What is the Department of State's visa bulletin?

Each month, the Department of State (DOS) releases a Visa Bulletin that advises on the availability of immigrant visas. The United States regulates immigration by capping the number of foreign nationals welcomed into the country each year. Each person must have his/her own personal immigrant visa number in order to live permanently in the United States. A foreign national can seek an Immigrant Visa at a U.S. Consulate outside the U.S., or file for an Adjustment of Status with USCIS inside the U.S.

When are F2A numbers available?

F2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 15 FEB 15 and earlier than 22 FEB 15. (All F2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit; there are no F2A numbers for MEXICO subject to per-country limit.)

What is INA Section 203?

INA Section 203 (e) provides that family-sponsored preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed. Section 203 (d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202 (e) apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa demand exceeds the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas: CHINA-mainland born, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES.

How much of the second preference limit is exempt from the per country limit?

A. Spouses and Children: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit.

Do you have to have a priority date to get an immigrant visa?

To receive an immigrant visa or an adjustment of status, you must have a priority date prior to the listed date for your category and country, as shown in this chart.

Is there a limit to the number of immigrant visas?

Only a limited number of immigrant visas are available in each category. Immigrant Visas are also limited by the country of chargeability, which is normally the country where the immigrant is born. Those who are eligible for a family based immigrant visa petition (I-130) fall into “preference” category and must wait in line for their category and country of chargeability to accept new applicants.

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...

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Visa Categories and Visa Numbers