The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released its December 2015 Visa Bulletin. However, the format of the bulletin has recently changed. Going forward, the DOS will publish the updated Visa Bulletin each month, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will issue a subsequent announcement one week later, informing foreign nationals if they may use the Dates for Visa Application charts or not. For more information, read Introducing the new Visa Bulletin.

December 2015 family-based Visa Bulletin
USCIS stated that foreign nationals may use the Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart to determine when to file Form I-485, the Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status.

Source: U.S. Department of State

Month-to-Month Changes
Dates for filing family-sponsored visa applications haven’t changed at all from November.

Source: U.S. Department of State

Month-to-Month Changes

• The biggest movement occurred in the Philippines’ F-1 category, which advanced seven months.
• Mexico’s F-4 category remained the same.
• All other categories advanced between two and six weeks.

Family based green card categories:

• F1: Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
• F2A: Spouses and children of legal permanent residents (LPRs)
• F2B: Unmarried adult children of LPRs
• F3: Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
• F4: Brothers and sisters of adult U.S. citizens

December 2015 employment-based Visa Bulletin
Foreign nationals must use the Application Final Action Dates chart to determine when to file Form I-485.

Source: U.S. Department of State

Month-to-Month changes

• The EB-2 category for Chinese nationals advanced just under a year while the same classification progressed three years for Indian nationals.
• The Philippines' EB-3 green card category advanced more than two years.
• EB-3's China and India classifications also progressed multiple months.
• Both of China's EB-5 categories advanced more than a year.

Employment-based green card categories:

• EB-1: Priority workers with extraordinary abilities, outstanding professors or researchers, and executives or managers who’ve transferred to the U.S.
• EB-2: Individuals with advanced degrees, exceptional abilities, or those holding national interest waivers
• EB-3: Skilled workers, professionals, and others who don’t qualify for EB-1 or EB-2
• EB-4: Religious workers, broadcasters, Iraq/Afghan translators, Iraqis who have assisted the U.S., physicians, Armed Forces members, Panama Canal Zone employees, Retired NATO-6 employees, spouses and children of deceased NATO-6 employees
• EB-5: Investors who are investing in a new commercial enterprise

Subscribe to our Immigration Blog for an update on next month’s Visa Bulletin. If you need assistance filing a family or employment-based green card, contact VISANOW.