AILA has published anew Q&A with Charlie Oppenheim, who is the DOS’ Visa Bulletinguru.  Charlie points out a number ofinteresting points about the newVisa Bulletin. 
  • The DOS may notalways publish a monthly Dates of Filing chart. If it does not publish a chart, then the only I-485s that will be acceptedby USCIS are those petitions with priority dates earlier than the “Final Action”chart.  Each month, the Visa Bulletin will indicate whether USCISwill accept adjustment applications during the upcoming month.
  • The new VisaBulletin will not slow the overall processing times for immigrant visas. 
  • Charlie does notexpect the “Final Action” chart to retrogress for the foreseeable future.  The DOS expects to be able to give better forewarningwhen retrogression may occur.  The “whiplash”effect of dates moving aggressively forward and backward is expected to nolonger occur because the DOS will have much better data regarding the actualnumber of immigrant visas that are being demanded.
  • The “Dates ofFiling” Visa Bulletin chart is not expected to change much from month to month,but when it does move it is expected to move only forward, albeit slightly.
  • The “Dates ofFiling” chart always has always existed but its application was limited toConsular Process petitions.  Overseasimmigrant visa petitioners have always received their NVC Fee Bills severalmonths earlier than indicted by the Visa Bulletin.  The only change that has occurred is that theDOS is now publishing this chart.