NYC IMMIGRATION LAWYER - Phone (212) 258-0713 and (973) 621-9300

NY LAW OFFICES OF NORKA M. SCHELL, LLC

17 STATE STREET, STE. 4000

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10004

TEL. (212) 258-0713 / (973) 621-9300

WWW.LAWSCHELL.COM  

OCTOBER 2017 VISA BULLETIN

This bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during October for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center. 

Unless otherwise indicated on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website at www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo, individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with USCIS in the Department of Homeland Security must use the “Final Action Dates” charts below for determining when they can file such applications. When USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for the fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, USCIS will state on its website that applicants may instead use the “Dates for Filing Visa Applications” charts in this Bulletin. 

FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES 

First: (F1) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens:  23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.

Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents:  114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:

A. (F2A) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents:  77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;

B. (F2B) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents:  23% of the overall second preference limitation.

Third: (F3) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens:  23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.

Fourth: (F4) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens:  65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.

A.  FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED
     PREFERENCE CASES

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	22DEC10	22DEC10	22DEC10	01MAR96	01JAN07
F2A	22OCT15	22OCT15	22OCT15	15OCT15	22OCT15
F2B	08NOV10	08NOV10	08NOV10	15JUL96	01JAN07
F3	22JUL05	22JUL05	22JUL05	22APR95	22FEB95
F4	08MAY04	08MAY04	01OCT03	01OCT97	01JUN94

B.  DATES FOR FILING FAMILY-SPONSORED
     VISA APPLICATIONS

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01JAN12	01JAN12	01JAN12	01NOV96	01OCT07
F2A	01NOV16	01NOV16	01NOV16	01NOV16	01NOV16
F2B	01SEP11	01SEP11	01SEP11	01JAN97	01SEP07
F3	01DEC05	01DEC05	01DEC05	01OCT95	15JUN95
F4	15NOV04	15NOV04	22JUN04	08FEB98	01MAR95

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES

First:  Priority Workers:  28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.

Second:  Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability:  28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.      

Third:  Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers:  28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to "*Other Workers".

Fourth:  Certain Special Immigrants:  7.1% of the worldwide level.

Fifth:  Employment Creation:  7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of Pub. L. 102-395.

A.  FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED
     PREFERENCE CASES

Employ- ment based	All Charge- ability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland  born	EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA HONDURAS	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	C	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	22MAY13	C	15SEP08	C	C
3rd	C	01JAN14	C	15OCT06	C	01DEC15
Other Workers	C	01JAN06	C	15OCT06	C	01DEC15
4th	C	C	01NOV15	C	01MAR16	C
Certain Religious Workers	C	C	01NOV15	C	01MAR16	C
5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5)	C	22JUN14	C	C	C	C
5th Regional Center (I5 and R5)	C	22JUN14	C	C	C	C

B.  DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED
     VISA APPLICATIONS

Employ- ment based	All Charge- ability Areas  Except Those  Listed	CHINA- mainland  born	EL  SALVADOR GUATEMALA HONDURAS	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	C	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	15NOV13	C	08FEB09	C	C
3rd	C	01SEP15	C	01JAN08	C	01AUG16
Other Workers	C	01JUN08	C	01JAN08	C	01AUG16
4th	C	C	15APR16	C	C	C
Certain Religious Workers	C	C	15APR16	C	C	C
5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5)	C	01OCT14	C	C	C	C
5th Regional Center (I5 and R5)	C	01OCT14	C	C	C	C

* Information extracted from the U.S. Visa - U.S. Department of State -Bureau of Consular Affairs.