Immigration Update

03/10/2009: NSC Projected Processing Times of I-140 Petition and EB-485 Applications

* There is a very good news on the projected times. As affected by the current economic recess, NSC reports that the agency has been receiving reduced number of cases, which will allow the agency to reach four (4) months processing for I-140 petition by 06/01/2009 and for EB-485 by 09/30/2009. Remember that this is just a projected time and not an assured time. Very promising news, though. Thank you, NSC!


03/10/2009: NSC I-140 Processing Times as of 02/26/2009

* NSC and AILA liaison minutes of 02/26/2009 reflects that the current I-140 processing times by types are as follows:

o EB-11, Extraordinary Worker= 04/01/2008
o EB-12, Oustanding Researcher or Teacher=03/01/2008
o EB-13, Multinational Corporate Executive or Manager=06/15/2008
o EB-2 Regular, 07/01/2008
o EB-2 NIW, 08/01/2008
o EB-3, Skilled Worker or Professsional, 10/01/2007
o EB-3 EW, Unskilled Worker, 10/01/2008

* Remember that the USCIS processing times cut-off date is 12/31/2008, while the foregoing NSC processing reflects the cut-off date of 02/26/2009.


03/09/2009: Official April 2009 Visa Bulletin

* EB-3 ROW, Mexico, and Philippines moved backward to 03/01/2003! Here is the State Department explanation:

o Despite the established cut-off date having been held for the past five months in an effort to keep demand within the average monthly usage targets, the amount of demand being received from Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS) Offices for adjustment of status cases remains extremely high. Therefore, it has been necessary to retrogress the April cut-off dates in an attempt to hold demand within the FY-2009 annual limit. Since over 60 percent of the Worldwide and Philippines Employment Third preference CIS demand received this year has been for applicants with priority dates prior to January 1, 2004, the cut-off date has been retrogressed to 01MAR03 to help ensure that the amount of future demand is significantly reduced. As indicated in the last sentence of Item A, paragraph 1, of this bulletin, this cut-off date will be applied immediately. It should also be noted that further retrogression or “unavailability” at any time cannot be ruled out.

o It has also been necessary to retrogress the Employment Third Preference Other Worker cut-off date for all countries in order to hold the issuance level within the annual limit.


source: The Oh Law firm