February 2018 Adjustment of Status Filing Dates

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services(USCIS) determined which filing dates chart to use for the February 2018 Visa Bulletin(see the charts). For family-based immigration, the Dates for Filing chart will be used. For employment-based immigration, the Final Action Dates chart will be used. Find the right chart to determine when to file your application for adjustment of status.

How do I use these charts?
Find your visa type in the left-most column of the appropriate chart (family or employment based).
Stay in that row and move to the right to find the date under the country of your birth.
If you are otherwise eligible, and if the date of the chart is current ("C"), or if your priority date is earlier than the date on the chart, you may file your application.

What is my priority date?
Your priority date is typically the date when your sponsor or employer filed the immigrant visa petition for you. However, there may be a delay if the petition was filed improperly. If a labor certification was needed with your visa petition, the priority date is generally the date the labor certification application was accepted for processing.

USCIS also made the following predictions on visa availability in the coming months:

FAMILY-sponsored categories (potential monthly movement)
Worldwide dates:
F1: Up to one month
F2A: Three to five weeks
F2B: Three to six weeks
F3: Up to five weeks
F4: Up to three weeks

EMPLOYMENT-based categories (potential monthly movement)
Employment First: The category will remain “Current” for all countries for the next several months.

Employment Second:
Worldwide: Current
China: Several months
India: Up to two weeks

Employment Third:
Worldwide: Current
China: Up to five months
India: One to three months
Mexico: Current
Philippines: Up to one month

Employment Fourth: Current for most countries
El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: Up to three weeks
Mexico: Some forward movement

Employment Fifth: The category will remain “Current” for most countries.
China-mainland born: Little if any forward movement.
Vietnam: Will become subject to a final action date no later than April. The China-mainland born and Vietnam Employment Fifth preference dates would be the same.

Please feel free to contact our office if you have any immigration questions.