July 2019 Visa Bulletin: Significant Movement in Multiple Categories

The July 2019 Visa Bulletin has been released by the U.S. Department of State (DOS). There are some notable movements in family-based (FB) as well as employment-based (EB) categories. Most significantly, the F2A category becomes current for all countries of chargeability, as well as the third preference (EB3) category for the Philippines. In addition, there are some other welcome advances in other categories that traditionally have been severely backlogged.

Visa Bulletin Summary

All cutoff dates listed refer to the dates in the final action (FA) chart, unless otherwise specified.

EB1 Category

Cutoff dates for most countries of chargeability remain stagnant, with the exception of EB1 China, which advances to May 8, 2017. As predicted, EB1 India remains oversubscribed at a January 1, 2015, cutoff date, but should return to at least a February 22, 2017, cutoff date at the start of fiscal year 2020 (FY2020), which begins on October 1, 2019.

Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB2) Category

EB2 China moves forward by three months to November 1, 2016. India inches forward by only five days, to April 24, 2009. EB2 for all other countries of chargeability remains current.

Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB3) Category

Most notably, the Philippines becomes current in July. EB3 China advances by a few months to January 1, 2016, and India’s cutoff date remains at July 1, 2009. EB3 for all other countries of chargeability remains current.

EB3 Other Workers

The Philippines becomes current and China advances in this category, as well, to November 22, 2007. India remains unchanged at July 1, 2009. EB3 Other Workers for other countries of chargeability remain current.

Employment-Based, Fourth Preference (EB4) Category

In the EB4 category, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras moves up to July 1, 2016. However, Mexico goes back from October 1, 2018 to July 1, 2016. The EB4 category remains current for all other countries.

EB5 Category

As predicted, EB5 India retrogresses to May 1, 2017. The EB5 China and Vietnam categories remain unchanged at October 1, 2014 and October 1, 2016, respectively. In August 2019, EB5 India is expected to retrogress further, to match the EB5 China cutoff date. Then, at the start of FY2020, the cutoff date should move back to a summer or fall 2017 cutoff date. EB5 Vietnam will suffer similar retrogression in August, and then advance to a fall or early winter 2016 cutoff date in October 2019.

Conclusion

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