The U.S Department of State (DoS) has recently released its current visa bulletin for October 2021. The EB-1 cutoff dates for petitioners from all countriesare still current. For the EB-2 category, all countries except for China and India remain current. China has not moved from July 1, 2018 while India has also not progressed from September 1, 2011.

Final action dates for employment-based preference petitions:

• For EB-1: All countries are current for the final action dates.
• For EB-2: the cut-off date for nationals born in mainland China has not moved from July 1, 2018. The cut-off date for Indian nationals has also not progressed from September 1, 2011. The cut-off dates for petitioners from all other countries remains current.
• For EB-3 – Professional and Skilled Workers: EB-3 cutoff date for China has remained at January 8, 2019.  The final action date for India has remained at January 1, 2014. The cut-off date for the remaining countries are now current.
• For EB-5 – Non-regional Center: For China, the final action date has remained at November 22, 2015. India remains current. In addition, Vietnam is also current. The cut-off date is current for all other countries.

Filing dates for employment-based preference petitions:

• For EB-1: Filing dates are now current for all countries.
• For EB-2: The cut-off date for Chinese petitions has remained at September 1, 2018, while the date for Indian nationals has moved to July 8, 2012. Petitioners from all other countries remain current.
• For EB-3: In the EB-3 category, mainland Chinese petitioners’ cutoff date has retrogressed to January 15, 2019, while the date for Indian petitioners has retrogressed to January 8, 2014. The cut-off date for petitioners from the remaining countries are current.
• For EB-5: For EB-5 petitioners, the cut-off date for nationals born in mainland China remains unchanged at December 15, 2015 while petitioners from all other countries continue to remain current.

For Employment-Based Preference Filings:

USCIS will not accept any new employment-based fifth preference adjustment of status applications based on the Regional Center Program until that program is reauthorized.

For all other employment-based preference categories, you must use the Filing Dates chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for October 2021.

Our Thoughts:

If you believe you qualify for a National Interest Waiver (NIW) but are not sure if you’re as strong a candidate for an EB-1, we recommend starting your NIW application as soon as possible. In general, we encourage our clients to file NIW applications (provided they meet the requirements). Our attorneys have a strong track record of winning approvals: since 2008, Zhang & Associates has helped over 3,500 foreign nationals obtain NIWs.

After you successfully apply for an NIW, and thereafter continue to garner achievements in your field, you may want to consider applying in the first-preference category. Our firm is here to help: since 2012, our attorneys have assisted more than 1,700 clients obtain EB-1 visas.

Before you start the application process, it’s imperative that you consult with experienced immigration attorneys. If you’re interested in filing an NIW, EB-1, or any other employment-based visa application, contact us today to schedule a free consultation.

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Former U.S. Consular officer and Visa Officer , Attorney Sechyi Laiu joined Zhang & Associates, P.C. on June 26, 2017

At Zhang & Associates, P.C., Attorney Laiu specializes on Consular Processing cases and business development. Attorney Laiu also focuses on TN visas, E visas, CBP administrative proceedings (monetary confiscation, deferred inspection), and overseas financial compliance.

Prior to joining Zhang & Associates, P.C., Attorney Laiu worked for the U.S. Department of State as a Chinese and Portuguese speaking diplomat. As a consular-coned officer who served in Vancouver (Canada), Shenyang (P.R. China), and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Attorney Laiu processed over 30,000 visa cases and worked in every section of Consular Affairs overseas (Fraud Prevention Unit, Immigrant Visas, Non-Immigrant Visas, and American Citizen Services).

He uses his experience and expertise to deliver the highest quality of service to our clients.

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Founded in 1996, Zhang & Associates, P.C. offers legal services to clients worldwide in all aspects of U.S immigration law. We have successfully handled over ten thousand immigration cases.

At Zhang & Associates, P.C., our attorneys and supporting professionals are committed to providing high-quality immigration and non-immigration visa services. We specialize in NIW, EB-1, PERM, I-485 I-130, H-1B, O, L and J cases. In the past over twenty years, we have successfully helped over ten thousand clients get green cards. If you plan to apply for a green card, please send your CV to Attorney Jerry Zhang (info@hooyou.com) for a free evaluation.

Zhang & Associates, P.C.

New York • Chicago • Houston • Austin • Seattle • Madison • Honolulu

Tel:	1-800-230-7040, 713-771-8433
Email:	info@hooyou.com
website:	http://www.hooyou.com

 

(09/15/2021)