Visa Bulletin for November 2020: No Movement in Dates for Filing chart
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Finally, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the November 2020 Visa Bulletin. There is some movement in the FA chart, yet the dates for filing (DF) chart remains nearly completely unchanged.
This visa bulletin summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during November for: “Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications,” showing when immigrant visa candidates should be notified to collect and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center.
USCIS Employment-based Priority Date Cut-offs for November 2020
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will honor the State Department’s Dates for Filing chart for adjustment of status filings in November. To be qualified to file an employment-based adjustment application in November,employer-sponsored foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the date filed below for their preferred class and nation.
This is the second consecutive month in which USCIS has decided to honor the Dates for Filing chart, instead of the Final Action Date chart. In October, there was huge advancement on this chart, especially in the EB-2 and EB-3 classifications for India and China, which permitted numerous candidates who were previously subject to lengthy backlogs to file an adjustment of status applications. The present declaration confirms that the agency will keep on tolerating these filings through at least the end of November.
Impact of Presidential Proclamation
As an update, President Trump’s April 22 proclamation temporarily suspending the entry of specific immigrants remains in place through 31st December 2020. The announcement continues restricting the issuance of immigrant visas by U.S. consulates abroad.
November 2020 Visa Bulletin Summary
Check out the Final Action cut-off dates for November 2020
Employment-Based, First Preference (EB1) Category
The EB1 China and India categories both advancement on the FA chart, to a 1st December 2018 cutoff date. The category stays current for all different nations of chargeability. There is no change in the DF chart for this class from the October 2020 Visa Bulletin.
Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB2) Category
EB2 India advances to 22nd September 2009, on the FA chart, while EB2 China moves to April 22, 2016. This class stays current for all different nations of chargeability. There is no movement in the DF chart for the EB2 category.
Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB3) Category
The cutoff date for EB3 India advances to 1st March 2010, on the FA chart. For China, the cutoff date moves to October 1, 2017. This classification stays current for all different nations of chargeability. The dates in the DF chart for this category remain unchanged.
[DHS Proposes New Requirements for Immigration Sponsors]
EB3 Other Workers
Except for China, the cutoff dates for EB3 other workers are the same for every nation as its respective EB3 cutoff dates. For China, the cutoff date for EB3 other workers on the FA chart moves to 1st August 2008. The main change in the November 2020 Visa Bulletin in the DF chart is that EB3 different workers for China move to 1st May 2009.
Employment-Based, Fourth Preference (EB4) Category
The cutoff date for EB4 Mexico moves to 15th October 2018, on the FA chart. The EB4 cutoff date for El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras advances to November 1, 2017. This class stays current for all different nations of chargeability.
Employment-Based, Fifth Preference (EB5) Category
There is no movement in the EB5 category.
Conclusion
The USCIS is again allowing the utilization of the DF chart for purposes of applying for adjustment of status in November. If the DOS gives updated predictions this month, then the details will be posted as soon as possible.
