The US Visa bulletin for March has been released so that foreign nationals can start applying for immigrant visas. The bulletin provides information on immigrant numbers for March, including ‘Final Action Dates’ and ‘Dates for Filing Applications’, indicating when applicants should submit the necessary documentation.
US Visa Bulletin for March has good news for Indian visa seekers under the EB-2 and EB-3 categories.
The March US Bulletin shows that Final Action Dates for India under the EB-2 and EB-3 categories will advance by six weeks. For EB-2 India, Final Action Dates has moved from 15OCT12 to 01DEC12. For EB-3 India, Final Action Dates has also been moved by six weeks, from 15DEC12 to 01FEB13.
US visa bulletin February shows minor movement in dates for filing applications by some Indian immigrants
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An employment-based, second-preference visa or the EB-2 visa is granted to individuals with advanced degrees or exceptional professional abilities. An EB-2 visa under the Advanced Degree category requires an advanced degree or foreign comparable degree, as well as 5 years of relevant work experience.
The EB-2 visa under the Exceptional Ability category necessitates exceptional skills in sciences, arts, or business, exceptional expertise, and meeting labor certification requirements. Foreign workers applying for an EB-2 visa can request a waiver of a job offer from an American employer under specific circumstances.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has updated its policy guidance to clarify eligibility evaluation for the second preference employment-based (EB-2) classification for immigrant petitions requesting a national interest waiver.
Third Preference EB-3 visa is for a skilled worker, professional, or other worker without advanced degrees or exceptional abilities. EB-5 visa is the employment-based fifth preference visa that makes investors eligible to apply for lawful permanent residence and become Green Card holders if they make the required investments and create a certain number of jobs in the US economy.
EB-1 and EB-5 Final Action dates will be unchanged in March and remain as 01FEB22 and 01JAN22, respectively. EB-1 Visa is an employment-based, first-preference visa for individuals with extraordinary ability, outstanding professors or researchers, or certain multinational executives or managers.
It is important to understand when to use Final Action Dates” and when to use the “Dates for Filing Applications. Individuals preparing to file USCIS adjustment of status applications should refer to the “Final Action Dates” charts for the appropriate filing dates. USCIS may use the “Dates for Filing Visa Applications” charts on its website when there are more available immigrant visas than known applicants.
Consular officers report qualified applicants for numerically limited visas to the Department of State, while USCIS reports status adjustments. The allocations in the charts below were made, to the degree practicable, in chronological order of stated priority dates, for demand received by February 3rd.
The fiscal year 2025 limit for family-sponsored preference immigrants is 226,000. The worldwide level for annual employment-based preference immigrants is at least 140,000. Section 202 prescribes that the per-country limit for preference immigrants is set at 7% of the total annual family-sponsored and employment-based preference limits, i.e., 25,620. The dependent area limit is set at 2%, or 7,320.
Family-Sponsored Preferences
First: (F1) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.
Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:
A. (F2A) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;
B. (F2B) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents: 23% of the overall second preference limitation.
Third: (F3) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.
Fourth: (F4) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.
Employment-Based Preferences
First: Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.
Second: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.
Third: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to “*Other Workers”.
Fourth: Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.
Fifth: Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, of which 32% are reserved as follows: 20% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in a rural area; 10% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in a high unemployment area; and 2% reserved for qualified immigrants who invest in infrastructure projects. The remaining 68% are unreserved and are allotted for all other qualified immigrants.
A. FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES
B. DATES FOR FILING FAMILY-SPONSORED VISA APPLICATIONS
A. FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES
B. DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA APPLICATIONS
