May 2021 Visa Bulletin Released: Employment-Based Green Card Categories Advance Moderately

By: Brittany Simmons

The US State Department has released its May 2021 Visa Bulletin including Final Action dates and Dates for Filing for employment-based green card categories. Many employment-based green card categories will advance in May 2021. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will use the Final Action dates chart to accept adjustment of status to US permanent resident applications.

The Final Action cutoff dates for employment-based visas have advanced in the May 2021 Visa Bulletin:

• EB-1: All countries remain current.
• EB-2: China and India each advance about three months to December 1, 2016, and August 1, 2010, respectively. All other countries remain current.
• EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers: China advances two months to May 15, 2018. India moves ahead five months to February 1, 2011. All other countries remain current.
• EB-5: China’s date does not advance, while Vietnam advances approximately two months to February 15, 2018.

Adjusting Status based on the final action dates chart 

Foreign nationals sponsored by their employers are eligible, along with their immediate family, to file an employment-based adjustment of status application in May 2021 if their priority date is earlier than the date listed on the Final Action dates chart based on their preference category and country.

may 2021 final action dates 

• EB-1:
  • All countries current
• EB-2:
  • China: December 1, 2016
  • India: August 1, 2010
  • All other countries current
• EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers:
  • China: May 15, 2018
  • India: February 1, 2011
  • All other countries current
• EB-3 Other Workers:
  • China: August 1, 2009
  • India: February 1, 2011
  • All other countries current
• EB-4 Religious Workers:
  • El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras: September 1, 2018
  • Mexico: March 15, 2019
  • All other countries current
• EB-5:
  • China: August 15, 2015
  • Vietnam: February 15, 2018

may 2021 dates for filing  

• EB-1:
  • All countries current
• EB-2:
  • China: July 1, 2017
  • India: May 15, 2011
  • All other countries current
• EB-3:
  • China: September 1, 2018
  • India: January 1, 2014
  • All other countries current
• EB-3 Other Workers:
  • China: November 1, 2009
  • India: January 1, 2014
  • All other countries current
• EB-4/Religious Workers:
  • El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras: November 1, 2018
  • All other countries current
• EB-5:
  • China: December 15, 2015
  • All other countries current

conclusion

Contact your trusted Chugh, LLP attorney for help adjusting status to a US permanent resident