The official Visa Bulletin for February 2012 was released today and both China and India EB2 leaped forward one full year to 2010/01/01. This is following a nearly 10 months jump in January. Starting next month, nationals from India and China can file for I-485/EAD/AP as long as their priority dates fall on 2009/12/31 or earlier. Green card applications will also be eligible for approval if the underlying priority dates are before the cutoff.
In just three months, EB2 waiting time has theoretically been cut by half, from 4 to 2.08 years. See our retrogression tracker here.
DOS cited the same reason for such rapid movement of EB2: Low level of new I-485 filings:
Reports from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) indicate that the rate of new filings for adjustment of status in recent months has been extremely low. This fact has required the continued rapid forward movement of the cut-off date, in an attempt to generate demand and maximize number use under the annual limit. Once the level of new filings or USCIS processing increases significantly, it will be necessary to slow or stop the movement of the cut-off. Readers are once again advised that an eventual need to retrogress the cut-off date is also a distinct possibility.
All EB3 categories continued their slow pace in February. But what is more frustrating for applicants is DOS’ prediction for the coming months on EB3: Up to one month of movement.
All categories that are “Current” will remain so in February, and will likely stay this way for the foreseeable future
