Visa Bulletin January 2020

Updated information for the January 2020 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 U.S.) click here.

These are the tables of the Visa Bulletin for January 2020 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 15JUL13 15JUL13 15JUL13 08AUG97 15JAN09
F2A C C C C C
F2B 08AUG14 08AUG14 08AUG14 22AUG98 01FEB09
F3 15NOV07 15NOV07 15NOV07 01MAR96 01JAN99
F4 01FEB07 01FEB07 08NOV04 08JAN98 01MAR99

Dates for Filing Family Based Case Applications

Family-
Sponsored 
All Chargeability 
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland 
born
INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES 
F1 15MAR14 15MAR14 15MAR14 15NOV99 15SEP09
F2A 01NOV19 01NOV19 01NOV19 01NOV19 01NOV19
F2B 08APR15 08APR15 08APR15 22APR99 01OCT09
F3 15JUL08 15JUL08 15JUL08 15JUL00 01SEP99
F4 22JUL07 22JUL07 08JUL05 01JAN99 01NOV99

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 VIETNAM
1st 01OCT18 22MAY17 01OCT18 01JAN15 01OCT18 01OCT18 01OCT18
2nd C 01JUL15 C 18MAY09 C C C
3rd C 01DEC15 C 01JAN09 C 15MAR18 C
Other Workers C 01APR08 C 01JAN09 C 15MAR18 C
4th C C 01JUL16 C 08AUG17 C C
Certain Religious Workers U U U U U U U
5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)
C 22NOV14 C 01MAY18 C C 08DEC16
5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)
U 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 01OCT17 C 15MAR17 C C
2nd C 01AUG16 C 01JUL09  C C
3rd 01JAN19 01MAR17 01JAN19 01FEB10 01JAN19 01JAN19
Other Workers 01JAN19 01AUG08 01JAN19 01FEB10 01JAN19 01JAN19
4th C C 15AUG16 C C C
Certain Religious Workers C C 15AUG16 C C C
5th Non-Regional Center
(C5 and T5)
C 15MAY15 C C C C
5th Regional Center
(I5 and R5)
C 15MAY15 C C C C

Remember that in October 2015, the process for submitting applications changed. Now, the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services publish two tables for each visa preference category with the following information: In the 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.

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