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THE OCTOBER 2006 PRIORITY DATES:
Now Moving Forward Instead of Backwards
by Michael J. Gurfinkel, Esq.
October is the start of the "fiscal year" for immigrant visas. The priority dates for all Family-Based Petitions moved forward (or advanced) as shown in the monthly Visa Bulletin for October 2006, released by the State Department. In fact, the priority dates stopped "retrogressing" (moving backwards), and some categories moved forward several years!
The priority date for professional/skilled workers also moved forward by 2 months, and the priority dates for employment-based petitions for "other" (or unskilled workers) is now available.
Petitions by Citizens :
The priority date for the First Preference Category, F-1 (unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens, over 21 years of age) moved forward by 10 days, from October 22, 1991 to November 1, 1991 .
The Third Preference Category, F-3 (married sons and daughters of United States citizens ) moved forward by 4 years and 8 months, from December 1, 1985 to August 1, 1990 .
The Fourth Preference, F-4 (brothers and sisters of United States citizens) moved forward by 1 month and 17 days, from February 15, 1984 to April 1, 1984 .
Petitions by Green Card Holders :
The Second Preference Category, F-2A (Spouse and minor children of green card holders) moved forward by 1 year and 7 months, from September 22, 1999 to April 22, 2001 .
The Second Preference, F-2B (unmarried sons and daughters, over 21 years of age, of green card holders) moved forward by 2 years, 6 months, and 21 days, from January 1, 1994 to July 22, 1996 .
Petitions by Employers:
The Third Preference (professionals and skilled workers) of Employment-Based Petitions (Labor Certification) moved forward by 2 months, from March 1, 2002 to May 1, 2002 . The Third Preference (non-skilled workers) now has the available priority date of January 1, 2001 .
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 . If your priority date was "current", but retrogressed before your immigrant visa was issued (or you adjusted status in the U.S.), maybe your priority date became current again in October!
The October 2006 priority dates for the Philippines are as follows:
| FAMILY CATEGORY: |
|
Priority Date: |
| First Preference |
Unmarried sons and daughters of U.S. citizens
(over 21 years of age)
|
November 1, 1991
(In September 2006, the priority date was October 22, 1991.)
|
| Second Preference |
2A. Spouse and minor children
(below 21 years old) of green card holder
2B. Unmarried sons and daughters (over 21
years old) of green card holder
|
April 22, 2001
(In September 2006, the priority date was
September 22, 1999.)
June 22, 1996
(In September 2006, the priority date was January 1, 1994.)
|
| Third Preference |
Married sons and daughters of
U.S. Citizens |
August 1, 1990
(In September 2006, the priority date was December 1, 1985.) |
|
Fourth Preference
|
Brothers and sisters of U.S. Citizens
|
April 1, 1984
(In September 2006, the priority date was February 15, 1984.) |
| LABOR CERTIFICATION: |
| Third Preference |
Professional/Skilled Workers |
May 1, 2002
(In September 2006, the priority date was March 1, 2002.) |
| Schedule A |
(Nurses/Physical therapists) |
Current
(In September 2006, the priority date was also current.) |
| Other Workers |
Non-Skilled workers |
January 1, 2001
(In September 2006, the priority date was unavailable.) |
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