USCIS Visa Bulletin Nov 2019 Employment

You can file your i485 application for green card if your GC priority date is older than these dates for your country of birth.

USCIS Visa Bulletin is used to find your US green card priority date. The dates can move forward and go back each month.

Check the USCIS Visa Bulletin for Family Based Green Cards.

There are two types of chart for employment based and family based US green cards:

1. Date of Filing Chart – You can file form i485 for green card and get EAD + AP.
2. Final Action Date Chart – Your green card can only be approved if PD date is current in Final action chart.

EB2 to EB3 downgrade

If your EB2 priority date is current in EB3 final action chart, we recommend to file a downgrade to EB3 with new i140 and i485 and get your green card faster.

Currently, EB3 India is ahead of EB2 and many people are filing their adjustment of status applications in EB3.

Use Spouse country of Birth for faster Green card

You can use the spouse country of birth for whole family’s employment based green card filing if that country’s queue is moving faster.

Example: 

You are from India and working in US on H1B visa. Your US green card application has been filed by your employer in EB2 category with priority date as August 2014 which currently has a waiting time of more than 20 years.

You get married to a girl from Pakistan and both are now living in USA. You are in luck and can use Rest of world’s employment based final action date, which is CURRENT to file your green card. You immediately get into fast track green card lane just because of your lucky wife who was born outside India.

Country of Birth vs Country of Passport

You have Chinese passport but were born in Dubai. You come to US on H1B work visa and then are eligible to file your Green card application in ‘non chinese’ queue due to your country of birth being Dubai. You skip the Chinese long green card queues.

Employment Based Green Card Categories

#1 First preference (EB-1) – priority workers

Foreign nationals with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics are part of EB1-A.

Outstanding professors and researchers are counted in EB1-B.

Certain multinational managers and executives are in EB1-C pool.

#2 Second preference (EB-2)

If you are a member of the professions holding advanced degrees or who have exceptional ability (including requests for national interest waivers), then you fall in EB2 category.

Example: Most H1B workers file their employment based green cards using EB2.

#3 Third preference (EB-3)

Skilled workers, professionals, or other workers that are not covered in EB1 or EB2 above file their green card in EB3 category.

Example: An H1B workers with only a bachelor degree will qualify for EB3 but can upgrade to EB2 after 5 years of work experience.

Reference: Travel.State.Gov