The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released its April 2012 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin sets forth per country priority dates that regulate the ability of an individual to file an adjustment of status application or consular process at a U.S. Embassy. Foreign nationals can file the adjustment application if their priority dates are prior to the cutoff dates specified by the DOS in the Visa Bulletin.
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released its April 2012 Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin sets forth per country priority dates that regulate the ability of an individual to file an adjustment of status application or consular process at a U.S. Embassy. Foreign nationals can file the adjustment application if their priority dates are prior to the cutoff dates specified by the DOS in the Visa Bulletin.
What does the April 2012 Visa Bulletin say?
Employment-Based Category Two (EB-2):
China – No change
India – No change
Employment-Based Category Three (EB-3):
All Other Chargeability Areas – advanced 3 weeks
China – advanced 2 months
India – advanced 1 week
Mexico – advanced 3 weeks
Philippines – advanced 3 weeks
The biggest news is EB-2, where China and India, after significant forward movement in the past few months, failed to advance at all for April. Could this signal a retrogression in May? We’ll have to wait and see.
Visa availability and cutoff dates are determined on a monthly basis by DOS based on anticipated demand. These dates can move forward, backward or remain unchanged. Employers and employees should monitor the monthly Visa Bulletins so they can properly plan their immigration cases.
For more information, or if you have any questions regarding the Visa Bulletin, please feel free to contact us.