Insight into anticipated EB-2 (India) Visa Priority Date Movements from AILA/U.S. Department of State

VIA AILA

On January 9, 2015, the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Department of State Liaison Committee asked Charlie Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division, U.S. Department of State for his thoughts on current and future trends/projections with regards to immigrant visa preference categories. The Committee hopes that this action may help provide additional insight, beyond the basic visa availability updates that are provided in the monthly Visa Bulletin.

Updates:

“EB-2 India is expected to advance at a minimum, 4 to 6 months in the coming months and more significant advances should be expected through May. During FY 2013, EB-2 India advanced to June 2008, and then retrogressed almost four years during the first quarter of FY 2014. EB-2 India did not advance again until the summer months, eventually reaching May 2009 in September before retrogressing again in November. Although the decision has been made to start advancing the cut-off date at this time, it is possible EB-2 India may only advance into the summer of 2009 by September. Charlie anticipates that as a result of greater/earlier demand for EB-2 numbers due to EB-3 India applicants “upgrading,” there will be less “end of year” movement than in past years.

…

The EB-2 India cut-off date has remained steady at February 15, 2005 since November 2014. Historically, there has been no movement of EB-2 India prior to the summer when information about unused visa numbers from other categories can be more accurately predicted. The Visa Office is considering whether to begin advancing this category earlier this fiscal year than it has previously done. One of the challenges in doing so is that the resulting increase in number use could ultimately reduce the cut-off date movement that normally occurs during the final quarter of the fiscal year.”