October 2016 Visa Bulletin Update: USCIS to use “Filing Date” Chart for Accepting Adjustment of Status Applications.

By: Rabindra K. Singh, Esq.

Yesterday, September 21, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that in October 2016 it will accept Adjustment of Status Applications based on the “Filing Date” chart for most of the employment- and family-based immigrant visa categories. This is positive news for everyone, especially for Indian and Chinese Nationals. For your reference, included below are the “Filing Date” charts for both employment- and family-based filings for the month of October 2016.

Note that the “Filing Date” chart will not apply to the employment-based, fourth preference (EB4) category for certain religious workers; and the employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) category for cases filed through regional centers.

October 2016 Employment-Based “Filing Date” Chart:

Employment-based	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-  mainland       born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	01MAR13	22APR09	C	C
3rd	C	01MAY14	01JUL05	C	01SEP13
Other Workers	C	01AUG09	01JUL05	C	01SEP13
4th	C	C	C	C	C
Certain Religious Workers	C	C	C	C	C
5th Non-Regional Center(C5 and T5)	C	15JUN14	C	C	C
5th Regional Center (I5 and R5)	C	15JUN14	C	C	C

October 2016 Family-Sponsored “Filing Date” Chart:

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-         mainland            born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01JAN11	01JAN11	01JAN11	01JUN95	01MAY06
F2A	22NOV15	22NOV15	22NOV15	22NOV15	22NOV15
F2B	08FEB11	08FEB11	08FEB11	01JUN96	01FEB07
F3	22AUG05	22AUG05	22AUG05	01MAY95	01JAN95
F4	01JUL04	01JUL04	01MAY04	01DEC97	01APR94