March 2012 Visa Bulletin moves EB-2 Priority Dates yet again for India and China
02/09/2012
As expected, EB-2 visa priority dates continued to improve for March 2012. The U.S. Department of State's March 2012 Visa Bulletin advanced the EB-2 priority cut-off dates for nationals of India and China to May 1, 2010. Unlike the one-year jump in priority dates posted in the February 2012 Visa Bulletin, the March 2012 Visa Bulletin reflects only a four-month advancement. This suggests a more conservative approach in the U.S. Department of State's efforts to avoid oversubscribing available visa numbers. Beginning March 1, 2012, Indian and Chinese nationals, who possess an EB-2 priority date of May 1, 2010 or earlier, will become eligible to file their Adjustment of Status (AOS) Applications.
Despite the significant improvement in visa priority dates over the past several months, EB-2 retrogression remains a possibility as the end of the fiscal year approaches. Retrogression is conceivable particularly if USCIS receives a larger than expected number of AOS applications in February 2012 and March 2012.
Nominal improvements continue in the EB-3 category. EB-3 priority dates for professionals and skilled workers advanced by one week for India, one month for China, and three weeks for all other countries. The March 2012 EB-3 priority date cut-offs are as follows:
- EB-3 India: August 22, 2002 (one-week improvement);
- EB-3 China: January 1, 2005 (one month improvement);
- EB-3 All Other Countries: March 15, 2006 (three-week improvement).
Please access the March 2012 Visa Bulletin for more information on other employment-based visa classifications.classifications.