US Visa Bulletin: Indian Families Get Relief as Cutoff Dates Move Forward

The US Visa Bulletin for September has brought significant relief to Indian families seeking permanent residency through family-sponsored categories. The cutoff dates have moved forward sharply in several categories, offering a much-needed backlog relief.

For Indians, the Final Action Date for China and India in the F-1 category, which covers unmarried adult sons and daughters of US citizens, has moved from December 15, 2018, to January 22, 2020. This means that applicants who had their priority dates earlier than January 22, 2020, may now be eligible for a green card.

The EB-1 category, which covers priority workers, including individuals with extraordinary ability and outstanding professors and researchers, remains strained by heavy demand. The Final Action Date for India in the EB-1 category is October 15, 2022, but it's warned that if India's pro-rated limit in the EB-1 category is reached before the fiscal year ends, the category may become unavailable.

The September Visa Bulletin also brought forward movement for several family-sponsored categories affecting Indian applicants. The F2A category, which covers spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents, advanced by one month for most countries, including China, India, and the Philippines. The F3 category, covering married sons and daughters of US citizens, saw its Final Action Date move from May 15, 2012, to October 22, 2014.