Scroll down this page to see the latest Visa Bulletin Charts.
The State Department Visa Bulletin January 2021 shows backlogs in getting green cards in both the family and the employment-based categories. The time that it will take you to get a green card depends on the category of your petition and your country of birth. The Visa Bulletin is updated on a monthly basis.
How rapidly will your priority date in the Visa Bulletin advance or retrogress in the coming months? The new visa bulletin predictions will be available next week. You can click on the link to the Visa Bulletin Predictions by the State Department’s Charlie Oppenheim.
You can stay up-to-date with the waiting times in the Visa Bulletin by subscribing to our Free E-Mail Newsletter. Also, see our Coronavirus – Immigration Updates page.
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All Worldwide EB categories will remain current in January 2021.
EB-1 The Final Action Dates for India and China will move forward by 5 months to September 1, 2019.
EB-2 China will move forward by 1 month to June 1, 2016 while India will advance by 1 week to October 8, 2009.
EB-3 China move forward by 6 weeks to December 15, 2017 while EB-3 India will advance one week to March 22, 2010.
EB-5 China will remain frozen at August 15, 2015 while EB-5 Vietnam will move ahead by 2 weeks to September 15, 2017.
USCIS announced that it will honor the Final Action Dates for EB adjustment of status applications in January!
State Department Visa Bulletin January 2021 EMPLOYMENT-BASED CATEGORIES
The employment-based (EB) categories in the Visa Bulletin are as follows:
- EB-1 Priority Workers
- EB-2 Advanced Degree Professionals
- EB-3 Professionals & Other Workers
- EB-4 Religious Workers
- EB-4 Special Immigrant Juveniles
- EB-5 Investors
An applicant’s priority date is the day that the government receives the employer’s PERM application. If a PERM application is not required, the priority date is the date the government receives an EB visa petition (Form I-140 or Form I-526).
Watch our EB videos to see various methods of shortening your waiting time for a green card.
All of the worldwide employment-based categories remain current (no backlogs) in January.
State Department Visa Bulletin January 2021 EB FINAL ACTION DATES
| Category | World | China | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras |
India | Mexico | Philippines | Vietnam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Current | 9-01-19 | Current | 9-01-19 | Current | Current | Current |
| 2nd | Current | 6-01-16 | Current | 10-08-09 | Current | Current | Current |
| 3rd | Current | 12-15-17 | Current | 3-22-10 | Current | Current | Current |
| Unskilled | Current | 3-01-09 | Current | 3-22-10 | Current | Current | Current |
| 4th | Current | Current | 3-01-18 | Current | 12-01-18 | Current | Current |
| 5th | Current | 8-15-15 | Current | Current | Current | Current | 9-15-17 |
State Department Visa Bulletin January 2021 EB FILING DATE CHART
| Category | World | China | El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras |
India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Current | 11-01-20 | Current | 11-01-20 | Current | Current |
| 2nd | Current | 10-01-16 | Current | 5-15-11 | Current | Current |
| 3rd | Current | 6-01-18 | Current | 1-01-14 | Current | Current |
| Unskilled | Current | 7-01-09 | Current | 1-01-14 | Current | Current |
| 4th | Current | Current | 7-01-18 | Current | Current | Current |
| 5th | Current | 12-15-15 | Current | Current | Current | Current |
State Department Visa Bulletin January 2021 FAMILY CATEGORIES
The family-based categories in the visa bulletin are as follows:
- F-1 Unmarried Adult Sons & Daughters of US Citizens
- F-2A Spouses & Children of LPRs
- F-2B Unmarried Adult Sons & Daughters of LPRs
- F-3 Married Sons & Daughters of US citizens
- F-4 Brothers & Sisters of US Citizens
An applicant’s priority date is the day that the government receives the I-130 Petition. Watch our family-based video to see various methods of shortening your waiting time for a green card.
The word “Current” in the Visa Bulletin indicates that no backlog presently exists in a particular category. Alternately, “U” or the word “Unavailable” indicates that it is not possible to apply for permanent residence in that category.
State Department Visa Bulletin January 2021 FB FINAL ACTION DATES
| Category | World | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 9-15-14 | 9-15-14 | 9-15-14 | 1-15-98 | 1-01-12 |
| 2A | Current | Current | Current | Current | Current |
| 2B | 7-08-15 | 7-08-15 | 7-08-15 | 5-01-99 | 8-15-11 |
| 3rd | 7-08-08 | 7-08-08 | 7-08-08 | 8-22-96 | 3-01-02 |
| 4th | 10-08-06 | 10-08-06 | 3-15-05 | 7-01-98 | 2-01-02 |
B. FAMILY-SPONSORED FILING DATE CHART – The chart below reflects dates for filing visa applications within a time frame justifying immediate action in the application process. Applicants for immigrant visas who have a priority date earlier than the application date in the chart may assemble and submit required documents to the Department of State’s National Visa Center, following receipt of notification from the National Visa Center containing detailed instructions. The application date for an oversubscribed category is the priority date of the first applicant who cannot submit documentation to the National Visa Center for an immigrant visa.
State Department Visa Bulletin January 2021 FB FILING DATE CHART
| Category | World | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 7-22-15 | 7-22-15 | 7-22-15 | 2-22-00 | 10-08-12 |
| 2A | 8-01-20 | 8-01-20 | 8-01-20 | 8-01-20 | 8-01-20 |
| 2B | 5-01-16 | 5-01-16 | 5-01-16 | 12-01-99 | 4-01-12 |
| 3rd | 6-01-09 | 6-01-09 | 6-01-09 | 8-15-00 | 12-22-02 |
| 4th | 9-15-07 | 9-15-07 | 11-22-05 | 4-22-99 | 9-01-02 |
We link to the State Department Visa Bulletin.
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Carl Shusterman served as an INS Trial Attorney (1976-82) before opening a firm specializing exclusively in US immigration law. He is a Certified Specialist in Immigration Law who has testified as an expert witness before the US Senate Immigration Subcommittee. Carl was featured in the February 2018 edition of SuperLawyers Magazine.
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