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