The Department of State has just issued the February 2016 Visa Bulletin.  This is the fifth Visa Bulletin of Fiscal Year 2016. 

February 2016 Visa Bulletin

Final Action Dates

Applications with these dates may be approved for their Green Card (Permanent Residency card).

Employment- Based
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed
 CHINA – mainland born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
1st C C C C C
2nd C 01MAR12 01AUG08 C C
3rd 01OCT15 01OCT12 15JUN04 01OCT15 08JAN08


MU Law Analysis

All: These dates continue to be very favorable.  We expect that All Other dates will continue to be positive for the foreseeable future.

China: EB-2 progressed by one month. EB-3 has progressed almost one year in just the last few months.  This is great news for this category.

India: EB-2 jumped again. Four months ago it was 01MAY05. This represents a three-plus year movement in just four months.  This trend may continue. EB-3 moved four weeks.  Our sense is that EB3 will only move by weeks in the forthcoming months.

Mexico: Mirrors All Other in all aspects.

Philippines: EB-3 moved ahead two more months. MU Law believes that Philippines EB-3 will continue to steadily move forward in the coming months.  We expect it to get into 2009 in the by this spring or early summer.


Dates of Filing

Applications with these priority dates should see their Consular Process application progress.  The USCIS may allow filing of the I-485 Adjustment of Status, provided that the USCIS issues its monthly authorization. 

Employment-
Based		 All Chargeability
Areas Except
Those Listed		 CHINA-
mainland
born		 INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
1st C C C C C
2nd C 01JAN13 01JUL09 C C
3rd 01JAN16 01OCT13 01JUL05 01JAN16 01JAN10

MU Law Analysis

The Dates of Filing chart did not materially change from October or November 2015. This is not a surprise. The USCIS and Department of State have been sued in response to the September 2015 revised Visa Bulletin.

Our analysis is the same as described in our October 10, 2015 blog post.