For the last several months, the EB-2 immigrant (green card) visa numbers have progressed in a dramatic way. Indian and Chinese nationals with priority dates of 01MAY2010 or earlier are eligible to file their I-485 Applications. The November 2011 Visa Bulletin’s EB-2 dates for India and China were 01NOV2007. This progression of priority dates has allowed many Indian and Chinese natives to file their I-485, Applications for Adjustment of Status.
This steady movement of priority dates is expected to end on either May 1, 2012 or June 1, 2012. At the AILA Midwest Regional Conference in Chicago, Charlie Oppenheim, Chief, Visa Control and Reporting at DOS, informed AILA Members that he will likely retrogress India and China-mainland born Employment-Based Second Preference priority dates to around August 2007, effective with either the May or June 2012 Visa Bulletin. This reflects the fact that many I-485 Applications have been filed since November 2011, taking advantage of these favorable priority dates.
All EB-2 Chinese and Indian natives with priority dates of 01MAY2010 of earlier are encouraged to file their I-485 Applications for Adjustment of Status before the inevitable retrogression in May or June.