The Department of State ("DOS") has issued its December 2007 Visa Bulletin. There has been both forward and backward movement in the various categories. Specifically, there has been significant retrogression in for those born in Indian and China in the EB-2 preference category.

Those with priority dates earlier than the cut-off dates below, or where noted as "current", may file for an adjustment of status application in December 2007. They may also be approved for an immigrant visa abroad:

• EB-1 worldwide, including China/India/China/Mexico/Philippines: Current
• EB-2: worldwide, including Mexico/Philippines: Current
• EB-2 China: January 1, 2003 (retrogression of three years)
• EB-2 India: January 1, 2002 (retrogression of twenty-seven months)
• EB-3 worldwide, except China/India/Mexico/Philippines: September 1, 2002 (forward movement of one month)
• EB-3 China: October 15, 2001 (forward movement of six weeks)
• EB-3 India: May 1, 2001 (forward movement of nine days)
• EB-3 Mexico: April 22, 2001 (no movement)
• EB-3 Philippines: September 1, 2002 (forward movement of one month)

The full December 2007 Visa Bulletin is available at the link below: http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3841.html

How This Affects You
The DOS predicts that over the coming months, the EB-1 and EB-2 categories for those born in The Philippines and Worldwide (except India, China, and Mexico) will remain current, but there will be slow forward movement in the EB-3 category. There remains heavy demand for immigrant visa numbers by those born in India and China and seeking EB-1 eligibility, which may require the establishment of a cut-off date at some point during this fiscal year, ending on September 30, 2008. EB-2 demand during October and early November 2007 has already resulted in the use of thirty-eight percent of the annual limits for those born in India and China.

The DOS hopes that by severely retrogressing the India/China EB-2 category during the month of December 2007 will return monthly number use within the annual target, but further retrogressions cannot be ruled out.

We will provide further information as soon as it becomes available.

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