Have you been waiting for the August 2020 Visa Bulletin?
To 3,620,240 visa applicants all over the world who are at the crossroads of their immigrant journey to the United States, the monthly Visa Bulletin is stuck at the traffic light.
On Monday, the 20th of July 2020, about 8 PM GMT, the August Visa Bulletin gave the green light to some immigrant visa applicants to facilitate processing with the National Visa Center. Isn’t that great? Despite the staffing shortage and lock down, the State Department’s Visa Office came through, albeit more than a week late.
In the past, the Visa Office under the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Department of State, put out the Visa Bulletin between the 9th and 12 of each month like clockwork. A series of proclamations restricting the flow of both immigrants and nonimmigrants alike put a stop to all that.
Without fail, the section “Procedure for determining dates” explains how immigrant visa applicants may have an inkling of when the traffic light will turn from red to orange – and from orange to green.
Contents
- Final Action Dates Family-Sponsored Preference Categories
- Final Action Dates Employment-Sponsored Preference Categories
- Dates for Filing Family-Sponsored Preference Categories
- Dates for Filing Employment-Sponsored Preference Categories
- Waiting for the Visa Bulletin’s Release
- Case Study
- Immigrant Ban of President Trump
Final Action Dates
Family-Sponsored Preference Categories
TABLE A.1 August 2020
| Family-Sponsored Category | All Chargeability Areas except those in this table | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 15-Aug-14 | 15-Aug-14 | 22-Dec-97 | 1-Sep-11 |
| F2A | C | C | C | C |
| F2B | 8-Jun-15 | 8-Jun-15 | 22-Mar-99 | 1-Apr-11 |
| F3 | 1-Jun-08 | 1-Jun-08 | 15-Jul-96 | 15-Nov-01 |
| F4 | 8-Sep-06 | 22-Feb-05 | 15-Jun-98 | 1-Sep-01 |
TABLE A.2 July 2020
| Family-Sponsored Category | All Chargeability Areas except those in this table | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 8-Jul-14 | 8-Jul-14 | 8-Dec-97 | 1-Jun-11 |
| F2A | C | C | C | C |
| F2B | 1-May-15 | 1-May-15 | 8-Mar-99 | 1-Jan-11 |
| F3 | 8-May-08 | 8-May-08 | 8-Jul-96 | 15-Aug-01 |
| F4 | 22-Aug-06 | 8-Feb-05 | 1-Jun-98 | 1-Jun-01 |
Processing of applications under the F2A category remains current for all countries. It has been current since July of last year.
Do you need a refresher course regarding the Visa Bulletin and visa allocation system? Get the information on a previous post, How to Read the Visa Bulletin. Learn when to use the filing date and the final action date charts.
Employment-Sponsored Preference Categories
TABLE B.1 August 2020
| Employment-based Categories | All Chargeability Areas except those listed | India | Mexico | Philippines | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | C | 08FEB18 | C | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 08JUL09 | C | C | C |
| 3rd | 01APR19 | 01OCT09 | 01APR19 | 01APR19 | 01APR19 |
| Other Workers | 01APR19 | 01OCT09 | 01APR19 | 01APR19 | 01APR19 |
| 4th | C | C | 15JUN18 | C | C |
| Certain Religious Workers | C | C | 15JUN18 | C | C |
| 5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) | C | C | C | C | 22JUL17 |
| 5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) | C | C | C | C | 22JUL17 |
TABLE B.2 July 2020
| Employment-based Categories | All Chargeability Areas except those listed | India | Mexico | Philippines | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | C | 8-May-17 | C | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 8-Jul-09 | C | C | C |
| 3rd | 15-Apr-18 | 1-Jun-09 | 15-Apr-18 | 15-Apr-18 | 15-Apr-18 |
| Other Workers | 15-Apr-18 | 1-Jun-09 | 15-Apr-18 | 15-Apr-18 | 15-Apr-18 |
| 4th | C | C | 15-Jun-18 | C | C |
| Certain Religious Workers | C | C | 15-Jun-18 | C | C |
| 5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) | C | C | C | C | 15-May-17 |
| 5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) | C | C | C | C | 15-May-17 |
Dates for Filing
Family-Sponsored Preference Categories
TABLE C.1 August 2020
| Family-Sponsored Categories | All Chargeability Areas except those listed here | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 8-Jun-15 | 8-Jun-15 | 1-Feb-00 | 8-Jun-12 |
| F2A | 1-Jul-20 | 1-Jul-20 | 1-Jul-20 | 1-Jul-20 |
| F2B | 15-Mar-16 | 15-Mar-16 | 8-Nov-99 | 1-Dec-11 |
| F3 | 8-May-09 | 8-May-09 | 1-AUG-00 | 22-Aug-02 |
| F4 | 1-Sep-07 | 8-Nov-05 | 1-Apr-99 | 8-May-02 |
TABLE C.2 July 2020
| Family-Sponsored Categories | All Chargeability Areas except those listed here | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | 22-Apr-15 | 22-Apr-15 | 8-Jan-00 | 8-Feb-12 |
| F2A | 1-Jun-20 | 1-Jun-20 | 1-Jun-20 | 1-Jun-20 |
| F2B | 1-Feb-16 | 1-Feb-16 | 15-Oct-99 | 1-Aug-11 |
| F3 | 15-Apr-09 | 15-Apr-09 | 15-Jul-00 | 22-Apr-02 |
| F4 | 15-Aug-07 | 22-Oct-05 | 8-Mar-99 | 8-Jan-02 |
If you still aren’t sure what your preference category is, read our Primer on the U.S. Immigrant Visa Categories. Get to know the classes of eligible family members who can file a petition for you.
Dates for Filing
Employment-Sponsored Preference Categories
TABLE D.1 August 2020
| Employment-based Categories | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | C | 01JUL18 | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 15AUG09 | C | C |
| 3rd | 01APR20 | 01FEB10 | 01APR20 | 01APR20 |
| Other Workers | 01APR20 | 01FEB10 | 01APR20 | 01APR20 |
| 4th | C | C | C | C |
| Certain Religious Workers | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) | C | C | C | C |
TABLE D.2 July 2020
| Employment-based Categories | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | C | 01AUG17 | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 15AUG09 | C | C |
| 3rd | 01APR19 | 01FEB10 | 01APR19 | 01APR19 |
| Other Workers | 01APR19 | 01FEB10 | 01APR19 | 01APR19 |
| 4th | C | C | C | C |
| Certain Religious Workers | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) | C | C | C | C |
Waiting for the July and August 2020 Visa Bulletin’s Release.
As explain in our post, How to Read the Visa Bulletin, “Consular officers are required to report to the Department of State documentarily qualified applicants for numerically limited visas. The USCIS reports applicants for adjustment of status.”
Hence, the allocations in the charts below were made, as much as possible, in the chronological order of the reported priority dates. However, the July 2020 Visa Bulletin was released on June 18. The August Visa Bulletin was released on July 20.
In the eyes of a disinterested observer, a delay in the release of the Visa Bulletin may not seem much.
But to a child turning 21, a parent petitioner with a medical condition, an elderly petitioner who had to return to the Philippines (for example), the difference could mean, at the very least, another four to ten years of waiting.
For applicants who have waited decades for an immigrant visa petition, the worst-case scenario is that the petitioner passes away during the interim. When this happens, the USCIS will automatically terminate the petition.
Case Study
Dolores was petitioned by her U.S. citizen sister on June 2, 2001. Her only son Francis, was less than two months when the petition was received and acknowledged by the USCIS.
However, Francis is turning 21 on December 10, 2020. He will, therefore, age-out if Dolores isn’t interviewed before his birthday and she’ll be forced to leave him behind.
Aware that the State Department now publishes two charts, Dolores watches the “Dates for Filing Family-sponsored Visa Applications” Chart with unblinking eagle eyes. For Mother and son, waiting for the priority date on the F4 category to be current is a source of monthly anxiety.
If the cut-off date on the “Date of Filing” chart does not provide enough time for her to complete the immigrant visa process with the NVC when the August Visa Bulletin comes out, she cannot start processing of her immigrant visa application.
Based on her research, it takes 5-6 months to complete the visa processing from the time she receives a case creation letter from the NVC. The case creation letter includes not only her case number, but an Invoice ID Number as well.
Dolores needs both numbers to log on to her NVC case file online and start the visa processing. She figures that if the “Dates for Filing” in the August 2020 Visa Bulletin does not move for F-4 Philippine applicants, she may not have enough time to complete the process.
To her joy, the August 2020 VB moved past her priority date of June 2, 2001. All that remains for Dolores to do is to proactively request for the case creation letter with the Invoice ID number.
RELATED POST. Take care when completing the immigrant visa application and ensure that your credentials are updated for your consular interview. Read about possible complications that may result in a temporary or permanent disapproval.
The Visa Bulletin and the Immigrant Ban of President Donald Trump
Will the immigrant ban of President Trump delay visa processing?
Theoretically, no.
The ban was for the issuance of immigrant visas – not processing. At the moment, the National Visa Center continues accepting payments, uploading of civil documents as part of the visa processing stage.
In the Dates for Filing Chart of the July 2020 Visa Bulletin, the cut-off date for Philippine F4 applicants is “08JAN02”.
If the processing pace remains the same, that is at 4-5 months movement forward, Dolores would have enough time to complete the visa processing before Francis turns 21.
But President Donald Trump issued the immigrant visa issuance ban on June 23, 2020. Would this hold back processing and keep the cut-off date from moving forward?
Dolores and Francis must become documentarily qualified and get an interview date by December 10, 2020, Francis’ birthday. If Dolores doesn’t hurry, Francs will turn 21 and could be considered ineligible for classification as a derivative beneficiary.
Though Dolores has heard of the Child Status Protection Act (CSPA), a 2002 law that could keep Francis from being refused his derivative beneficiary visa, she’d rather not have Francis use it. At least unless and until she has to.
The August 2020 Visa Bulletin was the green go-signal of the immigration traffic light.
Now, it’s time to move ahead of the other 3 million plus waiting in the Visa Expressway. And, Francis should be among the thousands to get to the exit toll gate.
Is your family-based petition on the right track? Check what else you can do for your visa application.
