SAMPLE VISA BULLETIN (JANUARY 2010)

	World	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB-1	Current	Current	Current	Current	Current
EB-2	Current	May 1, 2005	Jan. 22, 2005	Current	Current

 

EB-1: Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Researcher/Professors

EB-2: Employment Based ( PERM ) and National Interest Waiver

Explanation:
The monthly visa bulletin issued by the Department of State shows the availability of visa numbers for green card applicants. All physicians and scientists will be in either the EB-1 or EB-2 category. When first applying for a green card, a priority date is assigned to the application based on the original filing date. The U.S. State Department uses this priority date to determine if a visa number is available. If your priority date (as shown on your I-140 receipt/approval notice) is before the listed date, then an immigrant visa number is available for your application and you can apply for adjustment of status (permanent residency). For applicants from most countries, the visa numbers are current, meaning that they can apply for adjustment of status either concurrently with the I-140 or as soon as it is approved. However, due to the large number of EB-2 applicants from China and India, there is a large backlog of applicants who must wait until their priority date becomes current.