The State Department has just released the Visa Bulletin for March 2019 that shows final application dates for green card applicants. Based on these available dates, and combined with the applicant’s priority date and country of birth, their I-485 form, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status is filed and further action taken.

In analyzing the March visa bulletin, there seems to be little change evident this time. Comparing it to last month’s bulletin numbers, the change is miniscule both among the different Employment based (EB) categories as well the retrogressed countries. The final action dates for India’s EB2 has barely gone up by three days while the EB3 has moved up only by a month. While China, under the same categories has shown a bigger jump under EB2 from October 2015 to January 2016. EB3 moved by a week. So, without too much to celebrate just yet, the wait continues for most of the applicants.The good news however, is that at least there was no retrogression. EB3 for the ROW remains current.

With these dates available, both employers and petitioners get a realistic timeframe to map the availability of the legal permanent residency. To undertake the next steps, the priority date of the applicant should be before the date on the visa bulletin to be considered current. To understand priority dates better, get information at Green Card Priority Date. Some petitioners under EB2 do consider downgrading to EB3 based on its movement without having any repercussions on their priority date.

Participate in an informative discussion on Trackitt with fellow petitioners who have shifted gears from EB2 to EB3 recently