Visa Bulletin For July 2021 – Strong Movement Across All Employment-Based Categories
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July 2021 Visa Bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during July for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa candidates should be told to collect and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.
Today, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the July Visa Bulletin 2021. All cutoff dates listed refer to the dates in the final action chart (i.e., Chart A) except if in any case indicated. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has not yet shown whether stakeholders will be able to utilize the dates for filings chart (i.e., Chart B) in July for purposes of applying for adjustment of status.
Impact of President Biden’s decision to rescind the immigrant visa ban
In spite of President Biden’s 24th February 2021 order to rescind the Trump-era proclamation that suspended certain immigrant entries, visa application backlogs combined with decreased consular operations because of COVID-19 public health measures will continue to limit the issuance of immigrant visas by U.S. consulates abroad. Immigrant visa (IV) candidates who are no longer subject to the immigrant ban may see their cases push ahead, but should expect delays as consulates continue to phase in routine services and work through backlogs. Those previously refused under the IV ban should await further instruction from the U.S. consulate that handled their application.
Expiring EB-5 Regional Center program
The EB-5 Regional Center program is scheduled to expire on 30th June 2021 and is therefore listed as “unavailable” in the July 2021 Visa Bulletin. Absent legislative action in Congress to reauthorize the program, immigrant visa issuance and adjustment of status adjudications under this category will cease after the close of business on June 30. Bills to reauthorize the Regional Center program are at present pending in Congress, however, the possibilities for reauthorization are not yet clear.
July 2021 Visa Bulletin Summary
Employment-Based, First Preference (EB1) Category
The EB1 category remains current for all countries of chargeability.
Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB2) Category
The cutoff date for the EB2 category for India pushes forward to 1st June 2011. EB2 China advances to 1st December 2017. However, the EB2 category remains current for any remaining nations of chargeability.
Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB3) Category
The EB3 category for India moves up to 1st January 2013. EB3 China’s cutoff date advances to 1st January 2019. The EB3 category stays current for any remaining nations of chargeability.
EB3 Other Workers
Except for China, the cutoff dates for EB3 other workers are the same for every country as its respective EB3 cutoff dates. For China, the cutoff date for the EB3 category for different workers moves to 1st December 2009.
[USCIS says it received 308,613 H-1B registrations for FY 2022]
Employment-Based, Fourth Preference (EB4) Category
The cutoff date for the EB4 category for Mexico advances to 1st February 2020. The EB4 cutoff date for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras pushes forward to 1st December 2018. Also, this category remains current for any remaining nations of chargeability.
Employment-Based, Fifth Preference (EB5) Category
The EB5 category remains current for all nations of chargeability, other than China and Vietnam. Also, for China, the EB5 cutoff date moves up to 8th November 2015. For Vietnam, the EB5 cutoff date advances to 1st April 2020.
