The cutoff dates for China and other workers show the biggest movement.

The US Department of State has released its January 2018 Visa Bulletin, setting out per-country priority date cutoffs that regulate immigrant visa availability and the flow of status adjustments and consular immigrant visa application filings and approvals.

What Does the January 2018 Visa Bulletin Say?

The bulletin includes both a Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart and an Application Final Action Dates chart. The former indicates when intending immigrants may file their applications for adjustments of status or immigrant visas, and the latter indicates when adjustment of status applications or immigrant visa applications may be approved and permanent residence granted. Unless otherwise indicated on the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website, individuals seeking to file applications for adjustment of status with USCIS must use the Application Final Action Dates chart below. USCIS has not yet indicated which set of cutoff dates will control in January.

To be eligible to file an employment-based (EB) adjustment application in January 2018, a foreign national must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for his or her preference category and country (changes from last month’s Visa Bulletin are shown  in yellow).

Application Final Action Dates

Dates for Filing Visa Applications

On the Application Final Action Dates chart, the cutoff dates for EB-1 for all chargeable countries, including India and China, and the EB-2 cutoff dates for the rest of the world, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the Philippines allotment will remain “current.” The EB-2 cutoff for China will advance by five weeks to August 8, 2013. Cutoff dates for EB-2 India will move forward three weeks to November 22, 2008.

The EB-3 cutoff dates for the worldwide allotment as well as for El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico will remain “current.” The cutoff date for EB-3 China will advance by five weeks to April 15, 2014, and the cutoff date for EB-3 India will advance by two weeks to November 1, 2006. The cutoff date for EB-3 Philippines will advance by one month to February 15, 2016.

Note that for China, the EB-3 cutoff dates continue to be ahead of the EB-2 cutoff dates (April 15, 2014 v. August 8, 2013).

The Dates for Filing chart still shows no change. Cutoff dates for EB-1 will remain “current” for all chargeable countries, including India and China. The EB-2 cutoff dates for the rest of the world, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the Philippines allotment will also remain “current.” Cutoff dates for EB-2 China will remain at November 15, 2013. Cutoff dates for EB-2 India will remain at February 8, 2009. Cutoff dates for EB-3 China will remain at September 1, 2015, and for “other workers” the cutoff dates will remain at June 1, 2008. Cutoff dates for EB-3 India will remain at January 1, 2008. Finally, cutoff dates for EB-3 Philippines will remain at August 1, 2016.