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-2 and EB-3 both advance 3 weeks, to October 22, 2019, and January 22, 2020, respectively.  EB-1 stalls at February 15, 2022, and EB-3 Other Workers at January 1, 2016.

India:  No movement in any category.  EB-1 halts at January 1, 2017; EB-2 at January 1, 2012; EB-3 and EB-3 Other Workers at May 1, 2012.

All Other Countries:  No movement in any category.  EB-1 remains current.  EB-2 stalls at July 15, 2022; EB-3 at December 1, 2021; and EB-3 Other Workers at August 1, 2020.

USCIS will accept I-485 applications in December based on the Department of State’s more favorable Dates for Filing chart, which allows from 2.5 to 31 months of additional filing time depending on nationality and category, with Indian nationals in EB-1 clearly the most advantaged.

• Chinese nationals gain 5.5 months to file in EB‑1; 2.5 months in EB-2; almost 7 months in EB‑3; and 17 months in EB-3 Other Workers.
• Indian nationals gain a full 31 months in EB-1; 4.5 months in EB-2; and 3 months in both EB-3 and Other Workers.
• All other country nationals may file their I-485s in advance of their priority dates being current by 5.5 months in EB-2; 13 months in EB-3; and 4.5 months in Other Workers.

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  Carol Schlenker also contributed to this article.