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THE MAY 2008 PRIORITY DATES
By Michael J. Gurfinkel, Esq.
The May 2008
priority dates continue with good news for employment based petitions.
The priority date for professionals and skilled workers moved forward
by 8 months, and the priority date for “other” (unskilled)
workers moved forward by 10 months. The priority dates
for family based petitions either stayed the same, or moved forward
by 2 weeks to 1 month.
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 14 days, from March 1, 1993 to March 15, 1993.
The Third Preference Category, F-3 (married sons and daughters of
United States citizens) priority date remained the same at April
1, 1991.
The Fourth Preference, F-4 (brothers and sisters of United States
citizens) moved forward by 14 days from February 22, 1986 to
March 8, 1986.
Petitions
by Green Card Holders:
The Second
Preference, F-2A (Spouse and minor children (below 21 years
old) of green card holder) moved forward by one month, from May
8, 2003 to June 8, 2003.
The Second Preference, F-2B (unmarried sons and daughters, over 21
years of age, of green card holders) moved forward by 14 days from
February 1, 1997 to February 15, 1997.
Petitions
by Employers:
The Third Preference (professionals and skilled workers)
of Employment-Based Petitions (Labor Certification) moved forward by
8 months, from July 1, 2005 to March 1, 2006. The priority date
for unskilled (“other”) workers moved forward by 10 months from
March 1, 2002 to January 1, 2003.
Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes the priority
dates for that particular month. This means that visas (or green cards)
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 before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have
to wait until it becomes current again.
The May 2008 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) |
March 15, 1993
(In April
2008, the priority date was
March 1, 1993.)
|
| Second Preference |
(2A) Spouse and minor children
(below 21 years old) of green card holder |
June 8, 2003
(In April 2008, the priority
date was May 8, 2003)
|
| |
(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters
(over 21 years old) of green card holder |
February 15, 1997
(In April
2008, the priority date was
February 1, 1997.)
|
| |
|
|
| Third Preference |
Married sons and daughters
of U.S. Citizens |
April 1, 1991
(In April
2008, the priority date was
the same.)
|
| |
|
|
| Fourth Preference |
Brothers and sisters of U.S.
Citizens. |
March
8, 1986
(In April
2008, the priority date was
February 22, 1986.)
|
|
LABOR CERTIFICATION: |
| Third
Preference |
Professional/Skilled
Workers |
March
1, 2006
(In April
2008, the priority
date was
July 1, 2005.) |
| Other
workers |
Non-Skilled Workers |
January
1, 2003
(In April
2008, the priority
date was
March 1, 2002.) |
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