USCIS, with the Department of State, is revising procedures for determining visa availability for applicants waiting to file either an employment-based or family-sponsored preference adjustment of status. This revised process, USCIS states, will better align with procedures DOS users for foreign nationals seeking to become U.S. permanent residents by applying for immigrant visas at U.S. consulates and embassies abroad.
According to USCIS, the revised process will enhance DOS’s ability to better predict overall immigrant visa demand and determine cut-off dates for visa issuances published in the Visa Bulletin.
Changes to occur include the posting of two charts per visa preference category in the Visa Bulletin: Application Final Action Dates (the dates when visas may finally be issued); and Dates for Filing Applications (the earliest dates when applicants may be able to apply).