FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES
First: (F1) Unmarried Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400 plus any numbers not required for fourth preference.
Second: Spouses and Children, and Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Permanent Residents: 114,200, plus the number (if any) by which the worldwide family preference level exceeds 226,000, plus any unused first preference numbers:
A. (F2A) Spouses and Children of Permanent Residents: 77% of the overall second preference limitation, of which 75% are exempt from the per-country limit;
B. (F2B) Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 years of age or older) of Permanent Residents: 23% of the overall second preference limitation.
Third: (F3) Married Sons and Daughters of U.S. Citizens: 23,400, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences.
Fourth: (F4) Brothers and Sisters of Adult U.S. Citizens: 65,000, plus any numbers not required by first three preferences.
A. FINAL ACTION DATES FOR FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES
On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); “C” means current, i.e., numbers are authorized for issuance to all qualified applicants; and “U” means unauthorized, i.e., numbers are not authorized for issuance. (NOTE: Numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the final action date listed below.)
| Family- Sponsored |
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA-mainland born |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 15MAR11 | 15MAR11 | 15MAR11 | 01MAY96 | 01JAN05 |
| F2A | 01FEB16 | 01FEB16 | 01FEB16 | 01JAN16 | 01FEB16 |
| F2B | 01DEC10 | 01DEC10 | 01DEC10 | 15AUG96 | 01JUL06 |
| F3 | 08OCT05 | 08OCT05 | 08OCT05 | 15JUN95 | 15MAR95 |
| F4 | 22JUN04 | 22JUN04 | 15DEC03 | 01NOV97 | 01SEP94 |
B. DATES FOR FILING FAMILY-SPONSORED VISA APPLICATIONS
| Family- Sponsored |
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| F1 | 01JAN12 | 01JAN12 | 01JAN12 | 01NOV96 | 01OCT07 |
| F2A | 01NOV16 | 01NOV16 | 01NOV16 | 01NOV16 | 01NOV16 |
| F2B | 01SEP11 | 01SEP11 | 01SEP11 | 01JAN97 | 01SEP07 |
| F3 | 01DEC05 | 01DEC05 | 01DEC05 | 01OCT95 | 15JUN95 |
| F4 | 15NOV04 | 15NOV04 | 22JUN04 | 08FEB98 | 01MAR95 |
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES
First: Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.
Second: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.
Third: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to “*Other Workers”.
Fourth: Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.
Fifth: Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of Pub. L. 102-395.
A. FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES
On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); “C” means current, i.e., numbers are authorized for issuance to all qualified applicants; and “U” means unauthorized, i.e., numbers are not authorized for issuance. (NOTE: Numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the final action date listed below.)
| Employment- based |
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA HONDURAS |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | C | C | C | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 08AUG13 | C | 22NOV08 | C | C |
| 3rd | C | 15APR14 | C | 01NOV06 | C | 15FEB16 |
| Other Workers | C | 22DEC06 | C | 01NOV06 | C | 15FEB16 |
| 4th | C | C | 01DEC15 | C | 01JUN16 | C |
| Certain Religious Workers | U | U | U | U | U | U |
| 5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) |
C | 22JUL14 | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) |
U | U | U | U | U | U |
B. DATES FOR FILING OF EMPLOYMENT-BASED VISA APPLICATIONS
| Employment- based |
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA HONDURAS |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | C | C | C | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 15NOV13 | C | 08FEB09 | C | C |
| 3rd | C | 01SEP15 | C | 01JAN08 | C | 01AUG16 |
| Other Workers | C | 01JUN08 | C | 01JAN08 | C | 01AUG16 |
| 4th | C | C | 15APR16 | C | C | C |
| Certain Religious Workers | C | C | 15APR16 | C | C | C |
| 5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) |
C | 01OCT14 | C | C | C | C |
| 5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) |
C | 01OCT14 | C | C | C | C |
