USCIS To Use “Final Action” Dates for I-485 Filings from February 1st

USCIS has just announced that as of February 1, 2019, they will use the “Final Action” dates in the February 2019 Visa Bulletin for accepting new I-485 adjustment of status applications.

This means that applicants who have a current priority date under the January 2019 Visa Bulletin may need to rush and file I-485 immediately and before February 1, 2019 as their date may no longer be current.   

Categories and Priority Dates Which Are Current But Will Retrogress for New I-485 Filings on February 1

Below are some common preference categories which will remain current only for the next two weeks until the end of January and applicants with cutoff dates below should consider immediately filing for I-485 adjustment of status:

• EB-1 ROW with priority date between June 1, 2018 and December 1, 2017;
• EB-1 China and EB-1 India with priority date between October 1, 2017 and February 8, 2017;
• EB-2 India with priority date between May 22, 2009 and April 6, 2009;
• EB-3 China with priority date between January 1, 2016 and July 1, 2015; and
• EB-3 India with priority date between April 1, 2010 and April 22, 2009.

We urge applicants who have cutoff dates noted above, who are in the U.S. on valid status and who have not filed I-485 to consider doing so before February 1, 2019.

Current Date?

Please do not hesitate to contact us if our office can help you take advantage of this (very time-sensitive for some) opportunity to file I-485 applications. We are also happy to provide a free quote for preparing and filing your I-485 application.

Further Updates and News

We invite you to subscribe to our free weekly immigration newsletter to receive timely updates on this and related topics. We also invite you to contact us if our office can be of any assistance in your immigration matters or you have any questions or comments about the February 2019 Visa Bulletin. Finally, if you already haven’t, please consider our Visa Bulletin Predictions tool which provides personalized predictions and charts helping you understand when a particular priority date may become current and what are the movement patterns.