Check-in with Department of State’s Charlie Oppenheim regarding the March 2020 Visa Bulletin

The March 2020 Visa Bulletin calls out a key development. Consistent with Charlie’s prior predictions, a final action date of January 1, 2017 will be imposed in March for EB-3 Worldwide, as well as for the EB-3 (EW) Other Workers category for these countries.

No forward movement is expected in these categories in the foreseeable future. Charlie anticipates that USCIS could revert resources that were previously allocated to EB-3 processing to EB-2 and/or EB-1 processing, generating additional demand in those latter categories. Charlie will watch movements in these categories closely and will likely refrain from posting updated projections until either the May 2020 or June 2020 Visa Bulletin.

EB-1:

In March EB-1 Worldwide advances three months to March 1, 2019. It remains possible that this category could become current in the summer of 2020. If demand levels remain steady, there may be sizeable advancement in April in EB-1 Worldwide. However, it is also possible that this category could advance less quickly if USCIS shifts resources previously used to adjudicate EB-3 cases to EB-1 processing, thus increasing the demand.

After holding steady, the final action dates for EB-1 China and EB-1 India start to advance again in March, with EB-1 China advancing one week to June 1, 2017 and EB-1 India advancing two months to March 1, 2015.

EB-2:

EB-2 Worldwide remains current in March, but Charlie continues to monitor demand closely. Based on current demand patterns, retrogression in EB-2 Worldwide will be required no later than June 2020 and possibly as early as April 2020.

EB-2 China advances one month in March to August 15, 2015, and EB-2 India advances three days to May 22, 2009.

EB-3 and EB-3 (EW) Other Workers:

As noted above, a final action date of January 1, 2017 is being imposed in March for EB-3 Worldwide and EB-3 Other Workers Worldwide.

EB-3 China advances seven weeks to March 22, 2016 in March and EB-3 China Other Workers advances one month to June 1, 2008. This places EB-3 China’s final action date more than seven months ahead of EB-2 China. Charlie is starting to see some downgrades from EB-2 to EB-3, but not yet in large numbers.

EB-3 India and EB-3 India Other Workers advance one week to January 15, 2009 in March.