The Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, Charles Oppenheim, at the Department of State recently provided some insight to the American Immigration Lawyers Association regarding priority dates and immigrant visa availability in the coming months.

EB-1: EB-1 Worldwide demand has increased in the last 2.5 weeks. It is predicted that there will be retrogression in this category as early as August 2019. EB-1 Worldwide should then return back to April 22, 2018 in October 2019. EB-1 India will not advance again before October 2019. It should return to a Final Action Date of February 22, 2017 in October 2019. EB-1 China is not expected to advance again before October 2019.

EB-2: EB-2 Worldwide demand has increased in the last 2.5 weeks. EB-2 Worldwide is no longer expected to remain current through September 2019. It is predicted that there will be retrogression in this category as early as August 2019. EB-2 Worldwide should then return back to current in October 2019. EB-2 India will continue to advance very slowly, by just a few days or up to one week at the most. EB-2 China may be subject to the same Final Action Date as EB-2 Worldwide as early as August 2019.

EB-3: EB-3 Worldwide demand has increased in the last 2.5 weeks. EB-3 Worldwide is no longer expected to remain current through September 2019. It is predicted that there will be retrogression in this category as early as August 2019.  EB-3 India will hold in July 2019. Lack of overflow from unused Worldwide EB-3 numbers has restricted additional numbers from being shifted to EB-3 India. EB-3 China should continue to advance up to several months. EB-3 Philippines became current in July 2019, but this is not expected to last when EB-3 Worldwide retrogresses.

EB-5: In August and September 2019, EB-5 India and EB-5 Vietnam are expected reflect the same Final Action Date as EB-5 China.

This is all the information I have. As usual, I’ll keep you posted when I have any more news!

~ImmigrationGirl

Related