Home › Visa Bulletin › September 2018

Visa Bulletin for September 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.

19 final action dates advanced and 19 retrogressed compared with August 2018. Biggest moves: EB-2 (all countries, Mexico and Philippines) retrogressed to Jan 1, 2013; EB-3 (all countries and Mexico) retrogressed to Nov 1, 2016; EB-3 Other Workers (all countries and Mexico) retrogressed to Nov 1, 2016.

Final Action Dates — September 2018

An immigrant visa or green card can be approved only if the priority date is earlier than the date shown. Changes compared with August 2018 are shown under each date.

Family	All countries*	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	Apr 8, 2011 −30 d	Apr 8, 2011 −30 d	Apr 8, 2011 −30 d	Aug 1, 1997 no change	Nov 15, 2006 +3.5 mo
F2A	Jul 22, 2016 no change	Jul 22, 2016 no change	Jul 22, 2016 no change	Jul 1, 2016 no change	Jul 22, 2016 no change
F2B	Nov 1, 2011 +10 d	Nov 1, 2011 +10 d	Nov 1, 2011 +10 d	Apr 22, 1997 +21 d	Apr 22, 2007 +2.2 mo
F3	May 1, 2006 −45 d	May 1, 2006 −45 d	May 1, 2006 −45 d	Dec 22, 1995 +21 d	Jun 1, 1995 +31 d
F4	Jan 8, 2005 +17 d	Jan 8, 2005 +17 d	Apr 8, 2004 +17 d	Jan 15, 1998 no change	Jun 1, 1995 +40 d

Employment	All countries*	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Jun 1, 2016 +31 d	Jan 1, 2012 no change	Jan 1, 2012 no change	Jun 1, 2016 +31 d	Jun 1, 2016 +31 d
EB-2	Jan 1, 2013 retrogressed	Jan 1, 2013 −25.9 mo	Jan 1, 2007 −26.4 mo	Jan 1, 2013 retrogressed	Jan 1, 2013 retrogressed
EB-3	Nov 1, 2016 retrogressed	Nov 1, 2014 +4 mo	Jan 1, 2003 −72 mo	Nov 1, 2016 retrogressed	Nov 1, 2016 −7 mo
EB-3 Other Workers	Nov 1, 2016 retrogressed	May 1, 2007 no change	Jan 1, 2003 −72 mo	Nov 1, 2016 retrogressed	Nov 1, 2016 −7 mo
EB-4	Current no change	Current no change	Feb 15, 2016 +7 d	Feb 15, 2016 +7 d	Current no change
EB-5 Unreserved	Current no change	Aug 8, 2014 +7 d	Current no change	Current no change	Current no change

Dates for Filing — September 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	Mar 8, 2012 no change	Mar 8, 2012 no change	Mar 8, 2012 no change	Sep 1, 1998 no change	Feb 15, 2008 no change
F2A	Dec 1, 2017 no change	Dec 1, 2017 no change	Dec 1, 2017 no change	Dec 1, 2017 no change	Dec 1, 2017 no change
F2B	Mar 22, 2014 +26.4 mo	Mar 22, 2014 +26.4 mo	Mar 22, 2014 +26.4 mo	Jun 8, 1997 no change	Dec 15, 2007 no change
F3	Sep 22, 2006 no change	Sep 22, 2006 no change	Sep 22, 2006 no change	Oct 8, 1998 no change	Aug 1, 1995 no change
F4	May 1, 2005 no change	May 1, 2005 no change	Jan 1, 2005 no change	Jun 1, 1998 no change	Dec 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	Apr 1, 2015 no change	May 22, 2009 no change	Current no change	Current no change
EB-3	Current no change	Jan 1, 2016 no change	May 1, 2009 no change	Current no change	Jul 1, 2017 no change
EB-3 Other Workers	Current no change	Jun 1, 2008 no change	May 1, 2009 no change	Current no change	Jul 1, 2017 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 September 2018 Visa Bulletin?

EB-2 (all countries, Mexico and Philippines) retrogressed to Jan 1, 2013; EB-3 (all countries and Mexico) retrogressed to Nov 1, 2016; EB-3 Other Workers (all countries and Mexico) retrogressed to Nov 1, 2016; EB-3 (India) retrogressed 72 months to Jan 1, 2003; EB-3 Other Workers (India) retrogressed 72 months to Jan 1, 2003; EB-2 (India) retrogressed 26.4 months to Jan 1, 2007; EB-2 (China) retrogressed 25.9 months to Jan 1, 2013; EB-3 (Philippines) retrogressed 7 months to Nov 1, 2016.

Sources.

Visa Bulletin for September 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.