NewsFlash! Use of ‘Dates for Filing’ Chart Allowed for Nearly All Case Types in October 2016

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced this afternoon that the ‘dates for filing’ (DF) chart in the October 2016 Visa Bulletin may be used as a basis for filing adjustment-of-status applications (form I-485) for nearly all employment- and family-based categories. The only exceptions to this are the employment-based, fourth preference (EB4) category for certain religious workers and the employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) category for cases filed through regional centers.

As explained in the MurthyDotCom NewsBrief, Providing Clarity on the Visa Bulletin Dual Chart System (26.Aug.2016), the DF chart tends to provide far more favorable cutoff dates. This chart, however, may not be used for purposes of filing an I-485 unless the USCIS specifically grants permission to use it for that month. October 2016 will be the first time the USCIS has authorized its use for employment-based cases since November 2015.

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