USCIS Visa Bulletin Prediction For 2013 (Apr - Jun)

Charles Oppenheim, (Chief of the DOS Immigrant Visa Control and Reporting Division), who publishes the visa bulletin every month recently released his visa bulletin prediction for April - June 2013. Please see details below:

FAMILY-sponsored categories (potential monthly movement)

Worldwide dates:

• F1:  Three or four weeks
• F2A: Three to five weeks
• F2B: Three to five weeks
• F3:  One or two weeks
• F4:  Up to two weeks

EMPLOYMENT-based categories (potential monthly movement)

Employment First:  Current

Employment Second:

• Worldwide:  Current

• China:  Three to six weeks 

• India:  No movement.  Despite the established cut-off date having been held for the past five months in an effort to keep demand within the average monthly usage targets, the amount of demand being received from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Offices for adjustment of status cases remains extremely high.  Should the current rate of demand continue, it is likely that at some point the cut-off date will need to be retrogressed in an effort to hold demand within the FY-2013 annual limit.  

Employment Third:

• Worldwide:    Four to six weeks
• China:        Two to three months
• India:        Up to two weeks
• Mexico:       Four to six weeks
• Philippines:  Up to one week

Employment Fourth:  Current

Employment Fifth:  Current


December 2012 Visa Bulletin alerted readers that a China cut-off date might be imposed at some point during the second half of the fiscal year.  Currently there is no reason to believe that it will be necessary to establish a China Employment Fifth preference category cut-off date during FY-2013, since demand over first six months of FY-2013 has now averaged out to a manageable level.

The above projections for the Family and Employment categories are for what is likely to happen during each of the next few months based on current applicant demand patterns.  Readers should never assume that recent trends in cut-off date movements are guaranteed for the future.

The determination of the actual monthly cut-off dates is subject to fluctuations in applicant demand and a number of other variables which can change at any time.  Those categories with a “Current” projection will remain so for the foreseeable future.


Update (Feb 25, 2013):
Charles Oppenheim has updated his prediction in some EB categories. Please see the link below: http://topimmigrationnews.blogspot.com/2013/02/new-updates-from-charles-oppenheim-dos.html