December 2018 Visa Bulletin Analysis

For December 2018 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2018/visa-bulletin-december-2018.aspx

Please see below analysis of December 2018 Visa Bulletin:

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	+1 Month 16 Days	+1 Month 16 Days	+1 Month 16 Days	No Change	+14 Days
F2A	+23 Days	+23 Days	+23 Days	+21 Days	+23 Days
F2B	+1 Month 14 Days	+1 Month 14 Days	+1 Month 14 Days	No Change	+7 Days
F3	+24 Days	+24 Days	+24 Days	No Change	+16 Days
F4	+1 Month	+1 Month	+7 Days	No Change	+1 Month

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	No Change	No Change	No Change	+6 Months 14 Days	No Change
F2A	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change	No Change
F2B	No Change	No Change	No Change	+1 Month 9 Days	No Change
F3	No Change	No Change	No Change	+9 Months 17 Days	No Change
F4	+8 Months	+8 Months	No Change	+2 Months 23 Days	+1 Year 14 Days

Visa Bulletin December 2018

For November 2018 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2018/visa-bulletin-november-2018.aspx

For analysis of December 2018 Visa Bulletin, please click here: https://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2018/visa-bulletin-analysis-december-2018.aspx

December 2018 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from December 1 to December 31 only). Please see below for more details.

Family Based:

Final Action Dates

Dates For Filing Applications

"Final Action Date" is the date when when USCIS/DOS may render their final decision on submitted applications. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	08AUG11	08AUG11	08AUG11	01AUG97	15FEB07
F2A	08OCT16	08OCT16	08OCT16	22SEP16	08OCT16
F2B	15FEB12	15FEB12	15FEB12	08JUN97	08JUN07
F3	01AUG06	01AUG06	01AUG06	22DEC95	08JUL95
F4	22APR05	22APR05	08JUN04	08FEB98	15JUL95

"Date for Filing Application" is the date when you can submit I-485/NVC applications to USCIS/DOS. Your priority date should be before this date.

Family- Sponsored	All Chargeability  Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland  born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	08MAR12	08MAR12	08MAR12	22APR99	15FEB08
F2A	01DEC17	01DEC17	01DEC17	01DEC17	01DEC17
F2B	22MAR14	22MAR14	22MAR14	01AUG97	15DEC07
F3	08JAN07	08JAN07	08JAN07	08OCT99	01JUN97
F4	01FEB06	01FEB06	01JAN05	15SEP98	22APR97

USCIS to Continue Implementing New Policy Memorandum on Notices to Appear

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is continuing to implement the June 28, 2018, Policy Memorandum (PM), Updated Guidance for the Referral of Cases and Issuance of Notices to Appear (NTAs) in Cases Involving Inadmissible and Deportable Aliens (PDF, 140 KB).

Starting Nov. 19, 2018, USCIS may issue NTAs as described below based on denials of I-914/I-914A, Application for T Nonimmigrant Status; I-918/I-918A, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status; <a target='_blank' href="https://www.uscis.gov/no

Tools Outage

USCIS will conduct system maintenance on. Sunday, Nov. 4, 2018, from 5 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. (Eastern).

During this time, our online tools may be unavailable, including:

• Check My Case Status
• e-Request
• Change of Address Online
• Check Processing Times
• Civil Surgeon Locator
• FOIA Status Check
• Office Locator
• Forms by Mail

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

USCIS and CBP Extend Form I-129 Pilot Program for Canadian L-1 Nonimmigrants

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are extending the joint agency pilot program for Canadian citizens seeking L-1 nonimmigrant status under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) through April 30, 2019. Earlier this year, the USCIS California Service Center (CSC) and the CBP Blaine, Washington, port of entry (POE) announced this pilot program which was scheduled to run from April 30, 2018, through Oct. 31, 2018.

This pilot program allows, but does not require, Canadian citizens to request that USCIS remotely adjudicate their petitioning employer’s Form I-129 or I-129S prior to their arrival or when they arrive at the Blaine POE. USCIS continues to

Fee Payment Changes at Two USCIS Los Angeles Field Offices

On Nov. 5, 2018, applicants, petitioners, or other requesters who are paying a filing fee at the Los Angeles Field Office and Los Angeles County Field Office will no longer be able to pay by money orders or cashier’s checks. They can still pay by check, debit card, credit card, or reloadable pre-paid credit or debit cards, which USCIS personnel will process through a new electronic system. USCIS is launching a pilot at these two field offices to test electronic payment processing, which will increase transaction security and reduce processing errors that could cause USCIS to reject applications and petitions. Beyond limiting the kind of payment USCIS will accept through this new system, applicants will not experience a change in how they pay their fees.

This internal transition is part of USCIS’ ongoing efforts to modernize its business practices, allowing USCIS fiel

USCIS to Expand Information Services Modernization Program to Key Locations

Program provides operational efficiencies, improves delivery of services

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will expand its Information Services Modernization Program to key field offices, beginning with the Detroit Field Office and the five offices in the Los Angeles District on Nov. 13. Field offices in the Newark, Great Lakes, and San Francisco districts will implement the program during the first quarter of fiscal year (FY) 2019. USCIS anticipates expanding the program to all remaining field offices by the end of FY 2019.

The Information Services Modernization Program ends self-scheduling of InfoPass appointments and instead encourages applicants to use USCIS online information resources to view general how-to information and check case statuses through the USCIS Contact Center. Recen