The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) receives thousands of family- and employment-based green card applications every year, which creates a backlog. As a result, the U.S. Department of State issues the monthly Visa Bulletin, allowing applicants to learn when their petition will be processed.
Each date indicates how long the current backlog is, as well as the expected processing time.
July 2015: Family-Based Green Card Visa Bulletin
Source: USCISMonth-to-Month Changes
Similar to last month, there wasn’t much change in July’s family-based visa bulletin. Most categories moved two weeks, while others advanced a month. However, some remained the same, such as Mexico’s F-1 green card classification.
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
July 2015: Employment-Based Green Card Visa Bulletin
Source: USCISMonth-to-Month Changes
- China’s EB-2 progressed four months
- India’s EB-3 advanced one week
- Mexico’s EB-3 progressed two months
- China’s EB-5 advanced four months
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.