The U.S. Department of State has issued the April 2018 Visa Bulletin that shows significant changes in the visa availability for Indian and Chinese nationals in the employment-based first-preference category (EB1). The cutoff date for EB-1 India and EB-1 China will be January 1, 2012. Also noteworthy is the significant movement for EB-3 India; EB-2 and EB-3 China; and EB-3 Philippines. Following are the significant changes since the March 2018 Visa Bulletin was released:
|
EB Category |
April 2018 Cutoff Date |
March 2018 Cutoff Date |
|
EB-1 India |
January 1, 2012 |
Current |
|
EB-1 China |
January 1, 2012 |
Current |
|
EB-2 China |
August 1, 2014 |
December 8, 2013 |
|
EB-3 India |
February 1, 2008 |
January 1, 2007 |
|
EB-3 China |
June 1, 2015 |
November 15, 2014 |
|
EB-3 Philippines |
January 1, 2017 |
May 1, 2016 |
The State Department explains that there continues to be an extremely high rate of demand for EB-1 numbers for nationals of India and China, resulting in the need to impose final action dates for these two countries. It is anticipated that cutoff dates will continue for EB-1 India and China until the end of the fiscal year on September 30, 2018. It should also be noted that EB-3 China once again has a more favorable cutoff date than EB-2 China by approximately 11 months.
We strongly recommend that any EB-1 China or India applicant who has yet to file the I-485 adjustment of status application do so before March 30, 2018.