By: Gladys Gervacio
The January 2021 Visa Bulletin features advancement in many employment-based categories. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will use the Final Action Dates chart for employment-based visas.
USCIS will use the Final Action Date chart in January after using the Dates for Filing chart for multiple months.
The final action cutoff dates will advance in many employment-based categories for January 2021, including:
Foreign nationals are eligible to adjust status to permanent resident in January 2021 if their priority date is earlier than the date listed on the Final Action Date chart for their country of chargeability and preference category.
The presidential proclamation limits the entry of certain foreign nationals into the United States if they were outside of the country on April 23, 2020 and did not already have a valid US visa or travel document. The proclamation is set to expire on December 31, 2020. If it is renewed by President Trump, it would continue to limit the ability of foreign nationals to obtain visas at US consulates abroad.
The January 2021 Visa Bulletin lists the EB-4 non-minister religious worker and EB-5 regional center programs as unavailable. However, Congress recently passed a government funding package that would extend both programs beyond their expiration date of December 28, 2020. If signed into law, the regional center program would be extended to June 30, 2021, and the non-minister religious worker program through September 30, 2021. A temporary stopgap measure could also extend these programs.
For more information on how to interpret the January 2021 Visa Bulletin, or for other case-specific questions, please contact your trusted Chugh, LLP attorney.
© 2024 Chugh LLP Affiliate Network. All Rights Reserved