The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) receives a massive volume of green card applications every year, creating a significant backlog. As a result, the U.S. Department of State issues the monthly Visa Bulletin, which provides updates regarding priority date timelines and application quota numbers.

Each date indicates how long the current backlog is, as well as the expected processing time.

For example: If the date is 01SEP07, it means the USCIS is processing applications that were filed on September 1, 2007. If the foreign national’s priority date is prior to the cutoff date, it is possible to move forward with an adjustment of status (I-485) application.

May 2015: Family-Based Green Card Visa Bulletin

Source: U.S. Department of State

The visa bulletin advanced for each family-based green card category, except for F1 applications from the Philippines. Most visa bulletin dates progressed two weeks to a month.

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

May 2015: Employment-Based Green Card Visa Bulletin

For employment-based green cards, the listed date corresponds to the PERM application filing date. If you’ve filed before that date, your priority date is current and you’re eligible to file your I-485 adjustment of status application. “C” indicates applications are “current” and there is no backlog.

Source: U.S. Department of State

Similarly to April’s Visa Bulletin, the EB-1 and EB-4 green card categories are current. EB-2’s China and India backlogs moved up two months or more. For some areas, EB-3 green cards have progressed three 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 advance 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.