Visa Bulletin September 2017 Predictions

For the official August 2017 Visa Bulletin, please click here: http://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2017/visa-bulletin-august-2017.aspx

Please see September 2017 Visa Bulletin Predictions below (for both Family Based and Employment Based):

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	08FEB11	08FEB11	08FEB11	01MAR96	01DEC06
F2A	15OCT15	15OCT15	15OCT15	01OCT15	15OCT15
F2B	22NOV10	22NOV10	22NOV10	22JUL96	15JAN07
F3	01AUG05	01AUG05	01AUG05	22APR95	15FEB95
F4	01JUN04	15JUN04	15DEC03	01OCT97	15MAY94

"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	08SEP11	08SEP11	08SEP11	01MAY96	01NOV07
F2A	22APR16	22APR16	22APR16	22APR16	22APR16
F2B	15SEP11	15SEP11	15SEP11	22AUG96	01SEP07
F3	08DEC05	08DEC05	08DEC05	08MAY95	22FEB95
F4	01DEC04	01DEC04	15JUL04	01FEB98	01APR95

USCIS Reaches FY 2018 H-1B Cap

From USCIS News:

WASHINGTON - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has reached the congressionally mandated 65,000 visa H-1B cap for fiscal year 2018. USCIS has also received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to meet the 20,000 visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, also known as the master’s cap. 

The agency will reject and return filing fees for all unselected cap-subject petitions that are not duplicate filings.

USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap.  However, please keep in mind USCIS suspended premium processing April 3 for up to six months for all H-1B petitions, including cap-exempt petitions. Petitions filed on behalf of current

USCIS Announces Citizenship and Integration Grant Opportunities

From USCIS News:

Grants will support citizenship preparation services for lawful permanent residents

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is now accepting applications for two funding opportunities under the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program. These are competitive grant opportunities for organizations that prepare lawful permanent residents for naturalization and promote civic integration and assimilation through increased knowledge of English, U.S. history and civics. The two programs will provide up to $10 million in grants for citizenship preparation programs in communities across the country. Applications are due by July 30.

USCIS wants to expand availability of high-quality citizenship preparation services throughout the country with these two opportunities:

• Ci

Visa Bulletin August 2017 Special Notes

For the official August 2017 Visa Bulletin, please click here: http://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2017/visa-bulletin-august-2017.aspx

Apart from posting current dates, State Department has also added special notes to Visa Bulletin mentioned above. Please see full details below:

D.  OVERSUBSCRIPTION OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED SECOND
     PREFERENCE CATEGORY

WORLDWIDE, EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, HONDURAS, MEXICO, AND PHILIPPINES Employment-based Second (E2) Preference category:  Readers were advised in item D of the May Visa Bulletin number 6, that it was likely that a date would be imposed at some point. High demand for numbers for USCIS adjustment of status applicants has required the establishment of a date for August. This action will allow number use to be held within the Worldwide E2 annual limit. 

Visa Bulletin August 2017

For July 2017 Visa Bulletin, please click here: http://www.mygcvisa.com/visa-bulletin/2017/visa-bulletin-july-2017.aspx

August 2017 Visa Bulletin has been officially released (valid from August 1 to August 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	22DEC10	22DEC10	22DEC10	01FEB96	15OCT06
F2A	22SEP15	22SEP15	22SEP15	01SEP15	22SEP15
F2B	01NOV10	01NOV10	01NOV10	01JUL96	08DEC06
F3	08JUL05	08JUL05	08JUL05	08APR95	22JAN95
F4	08MAY04	08MAY04	22SEP03	15SEP97	08APR94

"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	22JUL11	22JUL11	22JUL11	01APR96	08SEP07
F2A	08APR16	08APR16	08APR16	08APR16	08APR16
F2B	01SEP11	01SEP11	01SEP11	08AUG96	22JUL07
F3	01DEC05	01DEC05	01DEC05	01MAY95	01FEB95
F4	15NOV04	15NOV04	22JUN04	08JAN98	08FEB95

USCIS to Naturalize 15,000 New Citizens During Independence Day Holiday

From USCIS News:

 

WASHINGTON— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will celebrate the 241st  anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and our nation’s birthday, by welcoming nearly 15,000 new U.S. citizens during more than 65 Independence Day-themed naturalization ceremonies across the country this year.

“July Fourth marks the birth of our country, and for 15,000 people, it marks the birth of a new chapter as American citizens,” USCIS Acting Director James McCament said. “These new members of our community will add to the diverse fabric of our nation and will now be able to enjoy the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of U.S. citizenship.”

USCIS’ Independence Day activities this year will feature a naturalization ceremony at the

Celebrating Independence Day with Naturalization Ceremonies

From USCIS News:

On July 4, we celebrate our nation’s 241^st birthday and the day the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence in 1776.

USCIS marks Independence Day with naturalization ceremonies across the country. This year, we will welcome nearly 15,000 new citizens during more than 65 Independence Day-themed naturalization ceremonies across the country. A list of highlighted ceremonies is below.

We invite you to share your experiences and photos from naturalization ceremonies on social media, using the hashtags #newUScitizen and #July4th. You can follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), Facebook (/<a target='_