H- 1B Processing Statistics FY2015

USCIS Will Host Naturalization Ceremonies to Honor Veterans and their Families

From USCIS: Veterans, service members and military spouses across the country will become U.S. citizens as they take the Oath of Allegiance at special Veterans Day naturalization ceremonies. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will highlight the sacrifices that military members and their families have made while serving our country. From Nov. 7-13, USCIS will welcome more than 10,000 new citizens in nearly 130 naturalization ceremonies across the country and around the world. Of those being naturalized, more than 255 are veterans, service members and military spouses.

Many current and former military members and their families are eligible for citizenship, including expedited screening and overseas processing, under special provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Since Oct. 1, 2001, when data collection on military naturalizations began, more than 109,000 service members have become U.S. citizens, including individuals serving in Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea, Germany, Japan and elsewhere. In 2015 alone, USCIS hosted nearly 175 naturalization ceremonies at military installations in the U.S. and abroad.

“On Veterans Day, we salute the men and women who have so courageously served our country and defended the freedoms that it was built upon. Among our brave veterans are thousands of immigrants, many of whom vowed to defend their new home even before they were citizens,” USCIS Director León Rodríguez said. “It is because of their extraordinary sacrifices, and those of their families, that we can enjoy the rights and liberties of living in this great country.”

USCIS Updates Welcome Guide for New Immigrants

USCIS has published an updated Welcome to the United States: A Guide for New Immigrants. The guide contains practical information to help new immigrants settle into everyday life in the United States, including how to find a place to live, how to get a Social Security number and how the U.S. system of government works.
                                                                     
Available in 14 languages, this publication has recently been updated to include:

• Revised and updated general information on policies, programs and resources;
• A refreshed layout and design;
• A new chapter called “Taking Care of Your Money” on personal finance, taxes and financial scams; and
• A new chapter called “Understanding Education and Health Care” on the education system, adult education programs and the health insurance marketplace.

Latest USCIS Visa Bulletin Predictions

Charles Oppenheim recently discussed expected movements in various visa bulletin categories.

Charles Oppenheim is the Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division within Department of State (DOS). Please see the important details below:

FAMILY-sponsored categories (potential monthly movement)

Worldwide dates:

F1:   Three to six weeks
F2A: Three to six weeks
F2B: Up to one month
F3:   Two to four weeks
F4:   Three or four weeks

EMPLOYMENT-based categories (potential monthly movement)

Employment First: Current

Employment Second:

Worldwide: Current
China: Forward movement of this date during FY-2015 has resulted in a
         dramatic increase in demand. Little, if any movement is likely
         during the coming months.
India: Up to eight months.

NEW 9 FAM-e

From USCIS: On November 18, 2015, the legacy Volume 9 of the Foreign Affairs Manual (9 FAM) will be replaced by the 9 FAM-e. As of this date the 9 FAM-e will become the authoritative source for visa guidance.

The new 9 FAM-e represents the revision and reorganization of more than 4,000 pages of the legacy 9 FAM content that traditionally paralleled Volume 22 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

While the new 9 FAM-e overhauls language and organization, it does not alter substance. Guidance is not changed, but rather presented in an improved way. The former interpretive and procedural notes, along with appendices were merged.

Scheduled expiration of two employment visa categories

Employment Fourth Preference Certain Religious Workers (SR): 

Pursuant to Section 132 of Public Law 114-53, the non-minister special immigrant program expires on December 11, 2015. No SR visas may be issued overseas, or final action taken on adjustment of status cases, after midnight December 10, 2015.

Visas issued prior to this date will only be issued with a validity date of December 10, 2015, and all individuals seeking admission as a non-minister special immigrant must be admitted (repeat, admitted) into the U.S. no later than midnight December 10, 2015.

USCIS Releases New Edition of Three Forms

USCIS is publishing improved forms in easier-to-use formats and with new data collection technologies. Read more about USCIS Form Improvements Initiative.

• Update to Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. 
  New edition is dated 10/15/15. You may also file using the previous edition: 03/05/13.
  
  
• Update to Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, Instructions for Form I-485 Supplement C and Instructions for Form I-485 Supplement E. 
  New editions dated 10/05/15. You may also file using these previous editions: 06/20/13; 01/18/11, 11/23/10, 11/08/10; 7/15/10; 12/03/09.

January 2016 Visa Bulletin Predictions

For December 2015 Visa Bulletin, please click here: http://blog.mygcvisa.com/2015/11/december-2015-visa-bulletin.html

For the official January 2016 Visa Bulletin, please click here: http://blog.mygcvisa.com/2015/12/january-2016-visa-bulletin.html

Please see January 2016 Visa Bulletin Predictions below (for both Family Based and Employment Based):

Starting from October 2015 visa bulletin, DOS has decided to break its visa bulletin into two categories. The first category is "final action date" which is same as the previous visa bulletin. Dates in this category is when USCIS will start approving I-485 application.

The second category is "dates for filing visa application". The dates in this category is when applicants can start filing their I-485 application. This will be useful since applicant can file EAD application and after 180 days can change employer even if PD is not current.

The data below is for "final action date".

Quick Summary:

• EB1, EB4, EB 5: Current
• EB2 Rest Of World: Current
  EB2 China: 0-3+ months
  EB2 India: 0-2 months. Please see article 1. Also see article 2.
• EB3 (ROW, Mexico): 0-4 weeks. Please see article.
  EB3 China: 0-2+ months
  EB3 India: 1-2 weeks
  EB3 Philippines: 2-6+ weeks. Please see article.
• FB categories: 1 to 12 weeks Please see article.
• F2A: 3-6 weeks. Please see article.

Family Based:

Family-Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	08MAY08	08MAY08	08MAY08	15DEC94	01JUN03
F2A	15JUL14	15JUL14	15JUL14	08JUN14	15JUL14
F2B	01APR09	01APR09	01APR09	01OCT95	01JAN05
F3	22JUL04	22JUL04	22JUL04	22JUL94	08NOV93
F4	15APR03	15APR03	15APR03	08APR97	01AUG92

Employment Based:

December 2015 Visa Bulletin Analysis

For December 2015 Visa Bulletin, please click here: http://blog.mygcvisa.com/2015/11/december-2015-visa-bulletin.html

Please see below analysis of December 2015 Visa Bulletin:

Starting from October 2015 visa bulletin, DOS has decided to break its visa bulletin into two categories. The first category is "final action date" which is same as the previous visa bulletin. Dates in this category is when USCIS will start approving I-485 application.

The second category is "dates for filing visa application". The dates in this category is when applicants can start filing their I-485 application. This will be useful since applicant can file EAD application and after 180 days can change employer even if PD is not current.

EB1: All EB1 categories are current and should continue to remain current for fiscal year. Demand continues to be around 1050 every month (per the latest pending inventory).

EB2 ROW: This category continues to remain current. Per the latest report, demand in EB2ROW has increased significantly (11,000+ for year 2014 alone). However, since it can get spillover from EB4, EB5 and EB1 categories, this category is expected to remain current for FY 2016.

EB2 China: Due to higher demand, EB2 China  did not move forward in this visa bulletin. However, it is likely to continue to move forward in the next few months.

EB2 India: EB2 India had another big jump in this visa bulletin. It moved forward by 10 months after  moving forward by 7 months in previous visa bulletin. Currently EB2 India has demand from two categories: there are applicants in EB2 who have not yet filed their application as well as applicants who will be porting from EB3 India to EB2 India.

December 2015 Visa Bulletin

For November 2015 Visa Bulletin, please click here: http://blog.mygcvisa.com/2015/10/november-2015-visa-bulletin.html

December 2015 Visa Bulletin has been released (valid from December 1 to December 31 only). Please see below for more details.

Family Based:

Family-Sponsored	All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA-mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
F1	01APR08	01APR08	01APR08	08DEC94	01JAN03
F2A	15JUN14	15JUN14	15JUN14	08MAY14	15JUN14
F2B	01MAR09	01MAR09	01MAR09	08SEP95	01DEC04
F3	01JUL04	01JUL04	01JUL04	08JUL94	22OCT93
F4	22MAR03	22MAR03	22MAR03	01APR97	01JUL92

Employment Based:

Updated Instruction for Using the DOS Visa Bulletin

Beginning with the November 2015 Department of State (DOS) Visa Bulletin, if USCIS determines that there are more immigrant visas available for a fiscal year than there are known applicants for such visas, we will state on www.uscis.gov/visabulletininfo that applicants may use the Dates for Filing Visa Applications chart.

Unless otherwise stated on our website, the Application Final Action Date chart will be used to determine when individuals may file their adjustment of status applications.

We anticipate making this determination each month and posting the relevant chart on our website within one week of DOS’ publication of the Visa Bulletin.