Outlook Grim for India, China Employment-Based Visa Categories
The July cut-off date for the India and China EB-2 categories is January 1, 2000. The Department of State reports that these categories could become unavailable in August or September and remain unavailable indefinitely. The Department said there is a backlog of at least 25,000 India EB-2 cases awaiting visa numbers. Charles Oppenheim of the Department of State’s Visa Office reportedly stated that without legislative relief, the waiting time for Indian EB-2 applicants may be measured in years, even decades.
Meanwhile, the EB-1 category for India and China is not likely to stay current, although the EB-1 category worldwide is expected to remain current. EB-3 visa numbers worldwide and for India, China, and Mexico are expected to remain unavailable for the remainder of this fiscal year at least. The EB-3 category for India could remain unavailable indefinitely.
The third preference and “other workers” employment categories are unavailable in July.
