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Visa Bulletin for September 2017

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

20 final action dates advanced and 6 retrogressed compared with August 2017. Biggest moves: F4 (all countries and China) retrogressed 28.2 months to Jan 1, 2002; F4 (India) retrogressed 20.7 months to Jan 1, 2002; EB-2 (all countries, Mexico and Philippines) advanced 9 months to Jan 1, 2016.

Final Action Dates — September 2017

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

Family	All countries*	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	May 1, 2010 −7.7 mo	May 1, 2010 −7.7 mo	May 1, 2010 −7.7 mo	Feb 1, 1996 no change	Jan 1, 2007 +2.6 mo
F2A	Oct 1, 2015 +9 d	Oct 1, 2015 +9 d	Oct 1, 2015 +9 d	Sep 22, 2015 +21 d	Oct 1, 2015 +9 d
F2B	Nov 1, 2010 no change	Nov 1, 2010 no change	Nov 1, 2010 no change	Jul 1, 1996 no change	Jan 1, 2007 +24 d
F3	Jul 8, 2005 no change	Jul 8, 2005 no change	Jul 8, 2005 no change	Apr 8, 1995 no change	Feb 15, 1995 +24 d
F4	Jan 1, 2002 −28.2 mo	Jan 1, 2002 −28.2 mo	Jan 1, 2002 −20.7 mo	Sep 15, 1997 no change	Jun 1, 1994 +54 d

Employment	All countries*	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Current no change	Jan 1, 2012 no change	Jan 1, 2012 no change	Current no change	Current no change
EB-2	Jan 1, 2016 +9 mo	May 15, 2013 +23 d	Aug 22, 2008 +31 d	Jan 1, 2016 +9 mo	Jan 1, 2016 +9 mo
EB-3	Current no change	Jan 1, 2012 no change	Oct 15, 2006 +3 mo	Current no change	Nov 1, 2015 +5 mo
EB-3 Other Workers	Current no change	Jan 1, 2004 no change	Oct 15, 2006 +3 mo	Current no change	Nov 1, 2015 +5 mo
EB-4	Current no change	Current no change	Oct 22, 2015 +37 d	Oct 22, 2015 +37 d	Current no change
EB-5 Unreserved	Current no change	Jun 15, 2014 no change	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change

Dates for Filing — September 2017

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	Jul 22, 2011 no change	Jul 22, 2011 no change	Jul 22, 2011 no change	Apr 1, 1996 no change	Sep 8, 2007 no change
F2A	Apr 8, 2016 no change	Apr 8, 2016 no change	Apr 8, 2016 no change	Apr 8, 2016 no change	Apr 8, 2016 no change
F2B	Sep 1, 2011 no change	Sep 1, 2011 no change	Sep 1, 2011 no change	Aug 8, 1996 no change	Jul 22, 2007 no change
F3	Dec 1, 2005 no change	Dec 1, 2005 no change	Dec 1, 2005 no change	May 1, 1995 no change	Mar 1, 1995 +28 d
F4	Nov 15, 2004 no change	Nov 15, 2004 no change	Jun 22, 2004 no change	Jan 8, 1998 no change	Feb 8, 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	Oct 1, 2013 no change	Feb 1, 2009 no change	Current no change	Current no change
EB-3	Current no change	Sep 1, 2015 no change	Jan 1, 2007 no change	Current no change	Jan 1, 2016 no change
EB-3 Other Workers	Current no change	Jun 1, 2008 no change	Jan 1, 2007 no change	Current no change	Jan 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	Sep 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 September 2017 Visa Bulletin?

F4 (all countries and China) retrogressed 28.2 months to Jan 1, 2002; F4 (India) retrogressed 20.7 months to Jan 1, 2002; EB-2 (all countries, Mexico and Philippines) advanced 9 months to Jan 1, 2016; F1 (all countries, China and India) retrogressed 7.7 months to May 1, 2010; EB-3 (Philippines) advanced 5 months to Nov 1, 2015; EB-3 Other Workers (Philippines) advanced 5 months to Nov 1, 2015; EB-3 (India) advanced 3 months to Oct 15, 2006; EB-3 Other Workers (India) advanced 3 months to Oct 15, 2006.

Sources.

Visa Bulletin for September 2017 (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.