The January 2009 visa bulletin is posted by Mumbai consulate today. EB2 advanced by 1 month EB3 dates 15 days - EB2 dates are now 1 July 2003 where as EB3 its 15 October 2001. There are no surprises as holidays and November, December bulletins showed no signs of any big advancement. For US employment based GC applications these dates are very important for persons to go to next stage of US green card process.

Obama is electing US border state Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano to head Homeland Security department. Also the immigration is in top 10 list of Obama administration. So we may see some progress when Obama official starts office on january 20 2009.

Visa bulletin can be found here.
Note : E1, E2, E3 dates are employment based categories-



Related posts :

> USA Immigration Greencard Reform Proposals

Labels: Immigration, India, visa bulletin

The December 2008 visa bulletin is released by USCIS today and to no surprise the dates are unchanged compared to November 2008. EB2 dates are 1 June 2003 where as EB3 its 1 October 2001. These dates are important for persons who are in green card process so that they can go to next stage of green card process.

The only surprise is that this months bulletin is released little early of the month. This kinds of gives idea that probably USCIS is having good prediction of numbers and we may not see any significant changes going into next year.

Now that elections are over we should see some long pending bills may get some breathing air

Visa bulletin can be found here

Labels: eb-2, eb-3, GreenCard, Immigration, USCIS, visa bulletin

Not a great news again. The November 2008 visa bulletin is released by Mumbai consulate. Dates have advanced only by couple of months. As per Mumbai consulate web page for EB2 dates are 1 June 2003 where as for EB3 it is 1 October 2001. In October visa bulletin EB2 dates are retrogressed to 1 April 2003 where as for EB3 it is 1 July 2001.

Here is Mumbai consulate's November 2008 visa bulletin dates:

Category	India	Most Other Countries
F1	1 May 2002	1 May 2002
FX	15 July 2001	15 July 2001
F2A	8 Februrary 2004	8 February 2004
F2B	15 January 2000	15 January 2000
F3	1 July 2000	1 July 2000
F4	22 July 1997	15 November 1997
E1	Current	Current
E2	1 June 2003	Current
E3	1 October 2001	1 May 2005
EW	15 Janurary 2003	15 Janurary 2003
E4	Current	Current
E4-Religious	Current	Current

Predictions were that EB2 and EB3 dates will advance significantly as the October month gives some idea to USCIS where they stand on visa numbers. Looks like USCIS is still unclear of visa number predictions for November 2008 as they advanced to 2 months.

To confirm visa bulletin dates for November 2008, keep checking USCIS state visa bulletin -

I feel in November 2008 USCIS will get good idea of visa number predictions and so they can advance dates significantly for December 2008What do you think will happen to December 2008 visa bulletin dates ?

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Labels: eb-2, eb-3, Immigration, USCIS, visa bulletin

Much anticipated bulletin of the year is December 2007 visa bulletin (Exclude July bulletin fiasco)

considering no change in previous two bulletins (November and October) and during November time frame DOS might have finished receipting huge number of I485s filed during July-Aug this year.

We can guess that DOS will have all inputs from USCIS on visa demand and will have better idea of visa numbers required.

Hence December bulletin might have some news.

Is there a prediction on December'2007 visa dates?

Worst case -- heavy retrogression , Dates for EB3 may move back to 1998.
Best case -- Remains unchanged as November Bulletin.

The decmber'2007 bulletin has not been released as of writing this post.

Here is the link you can find the current visa bulletin.

Labels: 2007, Immigration, retrogression, visa bulletin, VisaNumbers

I'll post all updates as they are available --

Immigrationvoice.org reports :

Immigration Voice Announcements

UPDATE AT 3:15 PM EST TUESDAY: The latest update we received is the announcement to be made soon will be as follows:
DHS will be rescinding its July 2 update and the initial July Visa Bulletin will take effect for 31 days – i.e., all employment-based green card categories (except for the “Other Workers” category) will be “current” and CIS will accept applications through August 17.

DHS will issue a press release to this effect later today.

Hope this is true and USCIS revert their decision to accept applications BUT where are visa numbers for all these applicants ? This is really a messy situation that we have to wait and see how this will be corrected.



U.S. to Reverse
Some Denials
Of Work Visas

Looking to resolve a messy immigration tangle, the U.S. government is close to announcing that it will accept at least some applications for work-based green cards that were filed by thousands of skilled workers in early July at the government's invitation and then abruptly rejected.

Labels: green card, Immigration, visa bulletin

Back to old story again and all rumors of how long priority dates will be current came to an end with USCIS latest press release. Now all dates have retrogressed and became unavailable for employment based categories.This means we cannot file I485 and get EAD now.Since bulletin comes in June middle looks like USCIS miscalculated the visa numbers usage for June.All visa numbers for this fiscal year looks like been used.

The hopes created with this USCIS making all numbers current drama for July literally played fool false hope game with many immigrant lives.Think of this how many of us spent numerous dollars for this drama.Who benefited from all of this - a) Immigration Lawyers. b) USCIS nominated doctors for medical exams. c) Air line industry and d) documentation businesses.

a) Immigration Lawyers - Upon receiving this news many lawyers recruited temps to quickly file I485 applications and charged that overhead costs burden on the applicant (or for some the sponsoring employers bearing all GC cost usually pay the lawyers fees). As applicants now are struck in dilemma of what happens whether their lawyers re-charge them again when numbers are available.Of their no fault immigration lawyers benefited because of USCIS

b) USCIS nominated doctors for medical exams - Medicals for I485 created huge crowds at the doctors offices to get medicals done on time in order to take use of July bulletin news. These doctors charged anywhere between 250 $ and 400$ for these medicals from applicants.



c) Air line industry - One may wonder how come air line industry banked from this fiasco.Here are genuine cases.During summer usually July time frame many Indians go for a vacation. All travel plans either shortened the vacation or canceling the vacation resulting in penalties.My case I lost $1500 for my advancement of tickets to an earlier date because of demand for the seats as airlines are booked for student travels heavily this time during the year.

d)Documentation businesses - I don't know how many trips I made to copy/scan center to put the documents together for I485.Some lawyers just demanded scanned copies instead of fax to avoid any delays.Extra miscellaneous expenses for the applicant.

If you have any additional miseries to share - please do so via comments.

Thank You USCIS for all this :(


Press release says

The sudden backlog reduction efforts by Citizenship and Immigration Services Offices during the past month have resulted in the use of almost 60,000 Employment numbers. As a result of this unexpected action it has been necessary to make immediate adjustments to several previously announced cut-off dates. All Citizenship and Immigration Services Offices have been notified of the following:

Effective Monday July 2, 2007 there will be no further authorizations in response to requests for Employment-based preference cases. All numbers available to these categories under the FY-2007 annual numerical limitation have been made available.

Employment preference numbers will once again be available to these chargeability areas beginning October 1, 2007, under the FY-2008 annual numerical limitation.

Department of State Publication 9514
CA/VO: July 2, 2007

Labels: green card, Immigration, priority dates, retrogression, visa bulletin, VisaNumbers

Update: Click me for Green Card Drama: Visa numbers are unavailable again

WOW still can't believe they have become current ...indeed a real good day for immigrants who are in Green Card process retrogression.

This news is significant and all those who are effected with retrogression should start rejoicing as the wait is over for all applicants who are waiting to file I485 for EAD.

Please check July Visa Bulletin.

All our H1-B and travel hassels will end once we get EAD.My guess is we get probably EAD fast but GC might take a bit longer who cares ...

Get your documents ready do it as soon as possible before things change ..my guess as monthly bulletins we have one month time to do apply.Come August who knows what the bulletin looks like.

Here is the immihelp documents link for I485/EAD/AOS


I'll post all the updates here ..check back soon

Labels: eb-2, eb-3, GreenCard, Immigration, priority dates, retrogression, visa bulletin, VisaNumbers

Update : Priority dates have become current.Please check the July visa bulletin

Yesterday was in deed a real good day for immigrants who is in Green Card process as long-awaited priority dates movement appeared in US Department of State's current Visa bulletin for June 07.

This is what happened for India applicants : EB-2: Jumped from 01/08/03 to 04/01/2004 , EB-3 From 08/01/2002 to 06/01/2003 and Other Workers from Unavailable to 10/01/2001.

This news is significant and all those who are effected with retrogression should start rejoicing as the wait is over for some people (with priority dates less than what was mentioned in bulletin) who are waiting to file I485 for EAD.

For others too this is a good news if we see the same pace in the numbers movement then there is a high chance that priority dates may become current.

Please check June Visa Bulletin and see for your case if retrogression is over for you.

Labels: eb-2, eb-3, GreenCard, Immigration, priority dates, retrogression, visa bulletin, VisaNumbers