Home › Visa Bulletin › January 2018

Visa Bulletin for January 2018

Final action dates and dates for filing for family-sponsored and employment-based green cards, as published by the U.S. Department of State.

33 final action dates advanced and 0 retrogressed compared with December 2017. Biggest moves: EB-3 Other Workers (China) advanced 5.7 months to Dec 22, 2006; F2A (Mexico) advanced 47 days to Jan 1, 2016; F1 (all countries, China and India) advanced 42 days to Mar 15, 2011.

Final Action Dates — January 2018

An immigrant visa or green card can be approved only if the priority date is earlier than the date shown. Changes compared with December 2017 are shown under each date.

Family	All countries*	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	Mar 15, 2011 +42 d	Mar 15, 2011 +42 d	Mar 15, 2011 +42 d	May 1, 1996 +30 d	Jan 1, 2005 no change
F2A	Feb 1, 2016 +41 d	Feb 1, 2016 +41 d	Feb 1, 2016 +41 d	Jan 1, 2016 +47 d	Feb 1, 2016 +41 d
F2B	Dec 1, 2010 +9 d	Dec 1, 2010 +9 d	Dec 1, 2010 +9 d	Aug 15, 1996 +24 d	Jul 1, 2006 no change
F3	Oct 8, 2005 +30 d	Oct 8, 2005 +30 d	Oct 8, 2005 +30 d	Jun 15, 1995 +24 d	Mar 15, 1995 +7 d
F4	Jun 22, 2004 +14 d	Jun 22, 2004 +14 d	Dec 15, 2003 +23 d	Nov 1, 1997 +24 d	Sep 1, 1994 +31 d

Employment	All countries*	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change
EB-2	Current no change	Aug 8, 2013 +38 d	Nov 22, 2008 +21 d	Current no change	Current no change
EB-3	Current no change	Apr 15, 2014 +38 d	Nov 1, 2006 +17 d	Current no change	Feb 15, 2016 +31 d
EB-3 Other Workers	Current no change	Dec 22, 2006 +5.7 mo	Nov 1, 2006 +17 d	Current no change	Feb 15, 2016 +31 d
EB-4	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change	Jun 1, 2016 +40 d	Current no change
EB-5 Unreserved	Current no change	Jul 22, 2014 +7 d	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change

Dates for Filing — January 2018

Applicants with a priority date earlier than these dates can submit documents to the National Visa Center, and — in months when USCIS says so — file Form I-485. See Final Action Date vs. Date for Filing.

Family	All countries*	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	Jan 1, 2012 no change	Jan 1, 2012 no change	Jan 1, 2012 no change	Nov 1, 1996 no change	Oct 1, 2007 no change
F2A	Nov 1, 2016 no change	Nov 1, 2016 no change	Nov 1, 2016 no change	Nov 1, 2016 no change	Nov 1, 2016 no change
F2B	Sep 1, 2011 no change	Sep 1, 2011 no change	Sep 1, 2011 no change	Jan 1, 1997 no change	Sep 1, 2007 no change
F3	Dec 1, 2005 no change	Dec 1, 2005 no change	Dec 1, 2005 no change	Oct 1, 1995 no change	Jun 15, 1995 no change
F4	Nov 15, 2004 no change	Nov 15, 2004 no change	Jun 22, 2004 no change	Feb 8, 1998 no change	Mar 1, 1995 no change

Employment	All countries*	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change
EB-2	Current no change	Nov 15, 2013 no change	Feb 8, 2009 no change	Current no change	Current no change
EB-3	Current no change	Sep 1, 2015 no change	Jan 1, 2008 no change	Current no change	Aug 1, 2016 no change
EB-3 Other Workers	Current no change	Jun 1, 2008 no change	Jan 1, 2008 no change	Current no change	Aug 1, 2016 no change
EB-4	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change
EB-5 Unreserved	Current no change	Oct 1, 2014 no change	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change

* "All countries" = All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed. "Current" means no backlog: any priority date qualifies. Dates are copied from the official bulletin; always confirm on travel.state.gov before acting.

Summary

What changed in the January 2018 Visa Bulletin?

EB-3 Other Workers (China) advanced 5.7 months to Dec 22, 2006; F2A (Mexico) advanced 47 days to Jan 1, 2016; F1 (all countries, China and India) advanced 42 days to Mar 15, 2011; F2A (all countries, China, India and Philippines) advanced 41 days to Feb 1, 2016; EB-4 (Mexico) advanced 40 days to Jun 1, 2016; EB-2 (China) advanced 38 days to Aug 8, 2013; EB-3 (China) advanced 38 days to Apr 15, 2014; F4 (Philippines) advanced 31 days to Sep 1, 1994.

Sources.

Visa Bulletin for January 2018 (travel.state.gov)

Figures are copied from the official files without changes; derived numbers (changes, backlog estimates) are explained on the methodology page. Not legal advice.