First, you need to understand what some of the most important visa bulletin terms mean:
- Priority date: A priority date is the date that U.S. ...
- Current: Your priority date will switch to “current” status when there is no backlog and no wait time for your green card. ...
- Chargeability area: The chargeability area is your country of birth. ...
- Immediate relative: An immediate relative is a U.S. ...
Full Answer
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:
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.
What does current status mean on the Visa Bulletin?
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.
How do I know if my immigrant visa is 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. You must review the U.S. Department of State’s visa bulletin to determine if your immigrant petition is current.
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 does the Visa Bulletin tell you?
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.
How do you read a visa bulletin current date?
Select the "Current Visa Bulletin." Forward to "Family-Sponsored Preferences" to see a table similar to the sample below. Find your family preference category and compare your priority date to the date listed. If your priority date comes before the date listed, your immigrant visa is current.
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.
Will USCIS speed up 2022?
Washington, D.C., May 6, 2021: Reports from USCIS and from Donoso & Partners' own recent experience indicate that USCIS processing times are likely to drop during the remainder of 2021 and through 2022.
How long does it take after priority date becomes current?
Based on current USCIS processing times, an initial application for an H-4 EAD can take up to 8.5 months to be issued.
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 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.
Is NVC scheduling interviews 2022?
After reviewing your application, the NVC will schedule your immigrant visa interview. As of April 25, 2022, the NVC is reviewing documents submitted on or before February 4, 2022. Applicants must still complete all necessary formalities for their applications before the NVC reviews their case.
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 long is the green card process 2022?
7 to 33 monthsIt takes 7 to 33 months to process a Green Card application. The Green Card processing time depends on the type of Green Card you are applying for, the location of the processing office and other factors. Family Preference Green Cards processing takes from 1 to 10 years depending on the wait time and yearly caps.
What is upcoming Visa Bulletin?
Upcoming 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 is CEAC visa?
Immigrant visa applicants in some countries use a Department of State online application center to submit required fees, forms, and documents to the National Visa Center (NVC) for review. This tool is called the Consular Electronic Application Center, or CEAC.
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 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.
What happens when final action date is current?
Final action dates are the dates that are most commonly used by applications for filing adjustment of status applications with USCIS during rest of the year after first few months. If the final action dates chart shows as 'Current' or 'C', then it means that there is no wait time in the green card queue.
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.
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!
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.
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:
What is the final action date?
The Final Action Date is the priority date of the first documentarily qualified applicant that the NVC could not issue a visa number.
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 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.
How Available Visa Numbers Are Determined
- 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: 1. Past number use such as the number of applicants who qualified for a visa per category. 2. Estimates of future number use and return rates. The Stat...
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 numerical limitations. 2. There is a per-cou…
Visa Categories and Visa Numbers
- If there are enough visa numbers in any preference category for all reported documentarily qualified visa applicants, US government considers the category “current.” So, if the monthly allocation target is 3,000 and the DOS only reports 1,000 qualified applicants, the priority date cut-off is current. Sometimes, the total documentarily qualified applicants in a category exceed the …