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August 2020 Visa Bulletin: Significant Movement in Most Employment-Based Categories

According to the State Department’s August Visa Bulletin, cutoff dates for issuance of an immigrant visa will be as follows: 

  • EB-1: All countries except for China and India will remain current in August. China will advance by almost six months to February 8, 2018, while India will advance by nine months to that same date.
  • EB-2: China will advance by more than two months to January 15, 2016, while EB-2 India will remain at July 8, 2009. All other countries will remain current. 
  • EB-3 Professional and Skilled Workers: All countries except India and China will advance by almost a full year to April 1, 2019. Cutoff dates for China will advance by almost eight months to February 15, 2017, and for India by four months to October 1, 2009. 
  • EB-5: India will remain current, along with all other countries except for China and Vietnam. China’s cutoff date will advance by two weeks to August 8, 2015, while Vietnam’s cutoff date will advance by more than two months to July 22, 2017. 


In the Dates for Filing chart for August, EB-1 China will advance by eight months to July 1, 2018, and EB-1 India will advance by 11 months to July 1, 2018. All EB-3 countries but China and India will advance by one year to April 1, 2020. There is also some movement in most EB-3 categories, as shown below. EB-3 India will remain at February 1, 2010, and EB-3 China will advance two months to May 1, 2017.

In the coming days, USCIS is expected to announce on its own Visa Bulletin web page the cutoff dates for acceptance of adjustment of status applications next month. That announcement will clarify whether USCIS will accept adjustment applications based on the Final Action dates chart, as it did last month, or on the Dates for Filing Chart.

Impact of Presidential Proclamation

President Trump’s April 22 proclamation temporarily suspending the entry of certain immigrants has been extended through December 31, 2020. The proclamation continues to limit the issuance of immigrant visas by U.S. consulates abroad.

Final Action Cut-Off Dates for August 2020

EB-1 

China: February 8, 2018

India: February 8, 2018

All other countries: Current                                                                            

EB-2  

China: January 15, 2016

India: July 8, 2009

All other countries: Current

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers  

China: February 15, 2017

India: October 1, 2009

All other countries: April 1, 2019

EB-3 Other Workers  

China: August 1, 2008

India: October 1, 2009

All other countries: April 1, 2019

EB-4 

El Salvador, Guatemala Honduras: April 1, 2017

Mexico: June 15, 2018

All other countries: Current

EB-5

China: August 8, 2015

Vietnam: July 22, 2017

All other countries: Current 

Dates for Filing Cut-Off Dates for August 2020

EB-1  

China: July 1, 2018 

India: July 1, 2018

All other countries: Current

EB-2  

China: August 1, 2016

India: August 15, 2009 

All other countries: Current  

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers  

China: May 1, 2017

India: February 1, 2010

All other countries: April 1, 2020

EB-3 Other Workers  

China: October 1, 2008

India: February 1, 2010

All other countries: April 1, 2020

EB-4 

El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: October 1, 2017

All other countries: Current 

EB-5  

China: December 15, 2015

All other countries: Current  

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