The First Preference Category, F-1 (unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, over 21 years of age), remained at March 22, 1988.

The Second Preference, 2A (spouse and minor children²below 21 years of age of green card holders) of Family-Based Petitions remained at September 15, 1995.

The Second Preference, 2B (unmarried sons and daughters, over 21 years of age, of green card holders) stood still at November 22, 1992.

The Third Preference Category F-3 (married sons and daughters of United States citizens) and the Fourth Preference F-4 (brothers and sisters of United States citizens) of Family-Based Petitions did not move for the third straight month.

The priority date for the Third Preference F-3 remained at November 15, 1987 (Note: there is now a difference of four months and one week in priority dates between unmarried and married adult children of U.S. Citizens (March 22, 1988 for single children versus November 15, 1987 for married children). So, single adult children of U.S. citizens may wish to seek legal advice about marrying, before they are processed for their visa or green card, since the difference in waiting time is so small and they could possibly include their spouse for a visa at the same time they are processed for their own visa. Note: children of green card holders cannot marry, or their petition is void, as green card holders can only petition unmarried children.

The priority date for the Fourth Preference F-4 remained at July 15, 1979.

Only the priority dates for non-skilled workers category under the Employment-Based Petitions moved forward, gaining two months, from September 1, 1993 to November 1, 1993.

The priority dates for professionals and skilled workers, EB-3 remained current. This means those who have INS-approved I-140 employment-based immigrant petitions under the Third Preference (professionals and skilled workers), may still file for adjustment of status, and be processed for green cards in the U.S., (if they are already in the U.S.). For nurses and physical therapists, INS regulations for CGFNS have been published, such that nurses and physical therapists would be eligible to adjust status or be processed for a visa.

Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes the priority dates for that particular month. This means that visas would now be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below:

The January, 2000 priority dates for the Philippines are as follows:

FAMILY CATEGORY:

PRIORITY DATE:

Second Preference

September 15, 1995
(In December 1999, the priority date was the same.)

November 22, 1992
(In December 1999, the priority date was the same.)

Married sons and daughters of U.S. citizens.

November 15, 1987
(In December 1999, the priority date was the same.)