Visa Bulletin January 2018

Updated information for the January 2018 Visa Bulletin is now available.

The new tables include the consular filing dates and final visa issuance action.

If you would like to view the Visa Bulletin tables on Filing for Adjustment of Status (immigrant visa applications filed within the United States) click here.

These are the tables of the Visa Bulletin for January 2018 for family or employment based cases:

 

Final Action Dates for Family-Based Case Requests

Family-
Sponsored 
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-mainland
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES 
F1 15MAR11 15MAR11 15MAR11 01MAY96 01JAN05
F2A 01FEB16 01FEB16 01FEB16 01JAN16 01FEB16
F2B 01DEC10 01DEC10 01DEC10 15AUG96 01JUL06
F3 08OCT05 08OCT05 08OCT05 15JUN95 15MAR95
F4 22JUN04 22JUN04 15DEC03 01NOV97 01SEP94
22MAR05
22MAR05
22DEC10
01FEB16
01FEB16

Dates for Filing Family Based Case 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 Case Applications Final Action Dates

Employment-
based
All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland
born
EL SALVADOR
GUATEMALA
HONDURAS
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
1st C C C C C C
2nd C 08AUG13 C 22NOV08 C C
3rd C 15APR14 C 01NOV06 C 15FEB16
Other Workers C 22DEC06 C 01NOV06 C 15FEB16
4th C C 01DEC15 C 01JUN16 C
Certain Religious Workers U U U U U U
5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)
C 22JUL14 C C C C
5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)
U U U U U U

Dates for Submitting Employment-Based Case Applications

Employment-
based
All Chargeability
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

 

Recall that in October 2015, changed the process for submitting applications. Now, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services publish two tables for each visa preference category with the following information:In sections where a "C" is marked, it means that the category is current, and applications may be filed regardless of the applicant's priority date.

- Final Action Dates: dates on which immigrant visas can finally be issued.
- Dates for Filing: earliest date a person can file an application for an immigrant visa.

In order to determine when you can start the process to apply for an immigrant visa through consular channels or adjustment of status, you should check the lists every month.

 

en_USEnglish