The May 2018 Visa Bulletin was recently released. Most notably, EB-2 India remains stagnant while EB-3 India continues to advance, meaning that EB-3 India could pass EB-2 India. Additionally, for the first time, Vietnam is oversubscribed in the EB-5 category and has been given a final action date.
May 2018
For all countries except India, China, Philippines, and Mexico: F2A category priority date advances 31 days to 1 June 2016, F2B preference advances 37 days to a PD of 15 May 2011, F4 category advances 16 days to 1 October 2004; EB1, EB2, and EB3 all remain current.
For India only: F2A category advances 31 days with the priority date 1 June 2016, F2B preference advances 37 days to a PD of 15 May 2011, F4 advances 15 days to a PD of 1 March 2004; EB1 remains at 1 January 2012; EB2 remains at a PD of 22 December 2008; EB3 advances 90 days to a PD of 1 May 2008.
For China Only: EB1 retrogresses to 1 January 2012; EB2 advances 31 days to 1 September 2014; EB3 remains at a PD of 1 June 2015; EB5 Non-Regional Center remains at a PD of 22 July 2014; EB5 Regional Center is again available with a PD of 22 July 2014.
For Vietnam Only: EB-5 Non-Regional Center and Regional center have a PD of 22 July 2014.
Can file your immigrant applications if PD before:
F2A 22 September 2017; F2B 8 September 2011; F4 1 April 2005 for All Areas except India, China, Philippines, and Mexico and 1 December 2004 for India
EB1 is current for all countries; EB2 All Countries except India and China are current; EB3 All countries except China, India, and the Philippines are current; EB2 India advances to 1 April 2009; EB3 India advances to 1 September 2008 EB2 China remains at 1 February 2015; EB3 China remains at 1 January 2016; EB5 China (RC and non-RC) remains at 1 September 2014. Vietnam is not individually listed.
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Notes copied from the Department of State regarding Visa availability:
*NOTE: For May, F2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are authorized for issuance to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 22APR16. F2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are authorized for issuance to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 22APR16 and earlier than 01JUN16. All F2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit.
D. SPECIAL IMMIGRANT (SI) TRANSLATOR CATEGORY VISA AVAILABILITY
Given the limited availability of visa numbers and the existing demand, the Department expects to reach the FY-2018 annual limit of 50 Special Immigrant Visas in the SI category early this year. As a result, it has been necessary to maintain a May Final Action Date of April 22, 2012. It is likely that number use will require the SI category to become “unavailable” in the coming months. Once the annual limit of 50 visas is reached, further issuances in the SI category will not be possible until October 2018, under the FY-2019 annual limit. The SQ Special Immigrant Visa category for certain Iraqi and Afghan nationals employed by or on behalf of the U.S. government in Iraq or Afghanistan is not affected and remains current.
E. OVERSUBSCRIPTION OF THE VIETNAM EMPLOYMENT FIFTH PREFERENCE CATEGORY
Continued heavy applicant demand will result in the Vietnam Employment Fifth preference (EB-5) category reaching the per-country annual limit during April. As a result it has been necessary to impose a final action date on this preference for the month of May to control number use for the remainder of the fiscal year. It can be expected that the Vietnam Employment Fifth preference category will remain subject to a final action date for the foreseeable future.