Each Fiscal Year (Oct. 1st through September 30th of the following year) specific numbers of immigrant visas are set aside for allotting to the applicants.  This is normally referred to as the annual quota or numerical limitation for green card.

 Immigrant Visas are green cards issued to permanent resident applicants.

 Immigrant visas categories are many and each category of immigrant visa is subject to a different numerical limit.  Some visa categories are not subject to any numerical limitation.

 Immigrant visa numerical limitations are subject to countrywise limits.  These visas are issued based on employment as well as family sponsorship.  Business Investors could also qualify for Immigrant Visa. 

 In order to maintain diversity the United States issues greencard to nationals of named countries by conducting a diversity lottery. 

 Asylum and refugee protection are the humanitarian benefits offered to people who fear life threatening persecution and provides a path to permanent residence.

 Visa Bulletin shows the total number of immigrant visas annually available for each immigrant visa category.  The chart shows the priority date of the permanent residence application currently under process.  This is also called the cut-off date. 

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Visa Bulletin

June 2021

  The USCIS is still accepting the date of filing for adjustment of status as EB3 date of filing remains at January 2014.  Final action date, notably, for EB3 India category moved up by 6 months to November 1st, 2011.  Date of filing chart determines grant of permanent residence.

Beginning of the new Fiscal Year has brought new immigrant visa numbers.  Possibility of transfer of unused family based immigrant visa numbers because of pandemic related reasons, perhaps coupled with travel ban Executive Order may also have contributed to EB3 category becoming current. Some children who are about to lose age out protection to be counted under their parent's immigrant visa application may apply for employment authorization and seek adjustment of status.

EB1 category continues to stay current for both charts.  EB2 category remains current for all countries in both categories except for China and India.  EB2 Indian nationals with priority date before August  2011 may file the adjustment applicaions and wait processing based on Dec. 1st, 2010 as the final action date moved up by 6 months.  EB2 for China remains more optimistic with priority dates before january 1st, 2018 can file adjustment of status applications and wait half a year for processing as May 1st, 2017 is the final action date.

Family based adjument application for F2A category has remained current, it is noteworthy that spouses and children of permanent residents are able to adjust status however USCIS processing times for F2A category approval are nearly two years for some service centers and so, regardless of the category being current on the visa bulletin the LPR spouses may have to wait a little.

Visa Bulletin is published monthly by the Department of State.  It summarizes the availability of immigrant visa numbers remaining that could be allotted to immigrating foreign nationals and indicates when an application for immigrant visa can be filed.  Immigrant Visa allocations are made chronologically in the order in which applications are made i.e. the filing of the application is the priority date.

 When an immigrant category becomes oversubscribed, priority date of the first immigrant visa applicant who goes outside the numerical limit becomes the "cut off date."

 Reporting the cut off dates on Visa Bulletin is being changed for ease of understanding.

F2A category for spouses and children of lawful permanent residents shows final action dates as CURRENT for all countries.  DHS was however accepting adjustment of status application only based on application filing date which has also advanced now to August 2020.  Still, it is just two months and great!

USCIS processing times for immigrant visa petition for spouses and minor children of lawful permanent resident is about two years and so, this visa bulletin is not practically useful until the I-130 is approved in consular processing cases. 

 

Living abroad with permanent residence