Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the June 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of June.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of June.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of June.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the May 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of May.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of May.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of May.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the April 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of April.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of April.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of April.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the March 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of March.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Final Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of March.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will also continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of March.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the February 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of February.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will use theFinal Action Dates chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of February.
For family-sponsored preference categories, USCIS will use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of February.
Now that 2025 is in full swing, in this video, we will discuss our predictions for visa availability for employment-based and family-sponsored preference categories, based on historical patterns and statistical information from the past year.
If you are waiting for your priority date to become current on the Visa Bulletin and want to know when your immigrant visa might be issued, you won’t want to miss this video.
Overview
Each year, the availability of immigrant numbers for employment-based preference immigrants is calculated based on Section 201 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
For FY 2024, the annual numerical limit for family sponsored immigrant visas was 226,000. Of these visas, only about 170,000 visas were actually allocated and issued to family sponsored immigrants. Approximately 58,000 visas were left unused in fiscal year 2024 due to country specific backlogs and scheduling delays.
That leaves a substantial number of unused family visa numbers that can potentially be transferred to employment-based visas in fiscal year 2025.
It is important to note that for fiscal year 2024, the Department of State determined that the employment-based annual limit would be 160,791, due to unused family-sponsored visa numbers from fiscal year 2023 being added to the employment-based limit for fiscal year 2024.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses an interesting situation that can occur when the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issues a green card by mistake.
Learn what can happen in this situation and the steps you need to take to inform USCIS of the mistake, so that it does not cause complications for you down the road.
Overview
You might be wondering, how is it possible for a green card to be issued by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) by mistake? Although this is not a common occurrence, there are situations where an administrative or clerical error, can lead USCIS to issue a green card before an applicant is eligible to receive one, or before a green card is available.
It is important for you to understand that receiving a green card in error can have serious immigration consequences. Those who fail to take action to correct or remedy the mistake within a reasonable time can lose their ability to apply for U.S. Citizenship or even jeopardize their green card status.
How Does This Occur?
Green Card Issued Before a Priority Date is Current
Under U.S. immigration law, except for immediate relatives of U.S. Citizens, there are annual numerical limits on the number of green cards that can be issued to green card applicants. This applies to both employment-based and family-sponsored applicants. Due to these numerical limitations, the majority of green card applicants must wait their place in line until a green card is available to them. Only once an applicant has reached the front of the line (their priority date becomes current for final action on the Visa Bulletin), can they be eligible to receive a green card.
To know when a priority date is current for final action, applicants must regularly review the Department of State’s Visa Bulletin. A green card applicant’s priority date can be located on the I-130 or I-140 Form I-797 Notice of Action. The priority date generally falls on the date when the I-130 or I-140 immigrant petition was filed with USCIS. This date will determine your place in line in the green card queue.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the January 2025 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of January.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based and family-sponsored preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of December.
Are you applying for an immigrant visa and want to know when your priority date will become current? Then you won’t want to miss our analysis of the December 2024 Visa Bulletin.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains what you can expect to see in terms of the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based visa categories in the month of December.
USCIS Adjustment of Status
For employment-based and family-sponsored preference categories, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed it will continue to use the Dates for Filing chart to determine filing eligibility for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the month of December.
If you are applying for an immigrant visa for a family member, you will encounter the National Visa Center during your immigration process. The National Visa Center is a branch of the Department of State responsible for managing the processing of immigrant visa applications.
Once USCIS has approved your immigrant petition, your case is transferred to the National Visa Center to collect additional documentation from you, before your case can be scheduled for a visa interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick explains why there have been delays in immigrant visa processing due to challenges faced by the National Visa Center.
Overview
What are some of the problems causing delays in visa processing?
Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) Technical Errors
The Department of State uses an online application for immigrant visa applicants to submit required fees, forms, and documents to the National Visa Center (NVC) for review.
This tool is called the Consular Electronic Application Center, or CEAC which requires you to enter your case number and invoice ID number to login in to the platform.
After logging in the platform will instruct you regarding the steps you need to take to complete pre-processing of your case. This includes 1) paying your fees, 2) completing the DS-260 Immigrant Visa Electronic Application, and 3) uploading the required documentation.
Unfortunately, users commonly experience errors while using the Consular Electronic Application Center (CEAC) platform. This includes problems with uploading documents.
When trying to upload documents to CEAC, users who see an “Invalid Image Detected” error must save the completed document as a PDF and re-upload it.
Immigrant Visa Processing Delays
Due to these technical errors, the National Visa Center has been experiencing immigrant visa processing delays. These issues have pushed back immigrant visa processing because the National Visa Center has been unable to promptly receive, and review required documentation.
Other common situations causing delays include submitting incomplete documentation or documentation that is missing required information.
Immigration Lawyer Blog
