The Visa Bulletin is released monthly by the Department of State and is used to determine when a sponsored foreign national can submit the final step of the green card process, or if already pending, when the final step can be adjudicated.

Below is a summary of the December Visa Bulletin, including Final Action Dates and changes from the previous month.  

China: EB-1 remains current; EB-2 remains frozen at June 8, 2019; EB-3 advances six weeks to August 1, 2018; EB-3 other workers leaps ahead more than six months to June 22, 2013.

India:  EB-1 remains current; EB-2 retrogresses more than six months to October 8, 2011; EB-3 moves forward more than two months to June 15, 2012; and EB-3 other workers advances to June 15, 2012.

All Other Countries:  EB-1 remains current; EB-2 has a cut-off date of November 1, 2022; EB-3 remains current; and EB-3 Other Workers remains June 1, 2020.

NOTE 1: The December Visa Bulletin warns of possible future retrogression in the EB-1 China and EB-1 India categories due to increased demand for overall visa numbers.

NOTE 2:  USCIS has not yet announced if it will accept I-485 applications in December based on the Department of State’s slightly more favorable Dates for Filing chart.

Courtland C. Witherup also contributed to this article.