Category: Processing Times

The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for February 2016 notes that the National Visa Center (NVC) has provided totals of applicants registered in the various numerically limited immigrant categories for processing at consular posts as of November 1, 2015. In October, the Department of State asked the NVC at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to report the… Read More

The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for the month of January 2016 notes that the non-minister special immigrant program (SR visa, employment fourth preference) expired on December 11, 2015. No SR visas may be issued overseas or related final action taken on adjustment of status cases. Visas issued before this date are only issued with… Read More

On September 24, 2015, the Department of State issued an update that supersedes the previously released October Visa Bulletin. By moving many filing dates back, the update radically changed the recently announced benefit offered by a revised procedure for determining immigrant visa availability and filing adjustment of status applications. The revised process allows foreign nationals… Read More

The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for August 2015 (PDF) reported an “extremely large increase” in applicant demand that has resulted in retrogressions in the China-mainland born employment-based third preference (EB-3) and “Other Workers” categories, to June 1, 2004, and January 1, 2004, respectively. The Visa Office said that “[e]very effort will be made to… Read More

As of July 13, 2015, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has resumed accepting Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, for all H-1B extension-of-stay petitions (Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker). Premium processing service had been suspended previously for I-129 H-1B extension-of-stay petitions starting May 26, 2015, to July 27, 2015. USCIS said… Read More