Visa Bulletin

A publication of the US State Department that keeps track of the green card backlogs and informs us which "Priority Dates" are current so the applicants can expect to get through the last step of their green card processing. This is published every month around the 14th and tells us the availability for the following month. Note that certain categories of applicants ("immediate relatives") such as spouse of a US citizen are not shown in the visa bulletin because they are entitled to have their applications considered without any wait.

Green Card holder stuck outside the US for more than a year

Question details

I am a US citizen who Sponsored my fathers green card in 2010. His green card is expiring oct 2020. He had to stay in India since Jan 2019 due to health conditions. With the Covid pandemic situation and his age (81) and health conditions, he is not able to travel back to the united States before the green card expiry. My father does not have any family in India to take care of him and will have to come here so that my brother and I can take care of him. What are our options for avoiding the expiry of the green card? Secondly, is there a 60 day extension on the expiry date due to Covid 19?

 

FAQ Transcript

You should try to get in touch with the consulate and send them emails, etc., asking them their guidance and that way you have at least some proof that you are trying to get back into the USA on time, but if it goes past one year it can't be helped, you can always start a new green card if you like, not too many options here.

 

 

 

Note: This is a verbatim transcript of the referenced audio/video media delivered as oral communication, and, therefore, may not conform to written grammatical or syntactical form.

Monthly Determination of Employment Preference Cut-Off Dates

Each month, the Visa Office subdivides the annual preference and foreign state limitations specified by the INA into monthly allotments based on totals of documentarily qualified immigrant visa applicants reported at consular posts and CIS Offices, grouped by foreign state chargeability, preference category, and priority date.

USCIS Publishes Policy Memo on Acceptance of Diversity Visa-Related I-485 Applications During the Advanced Notification Period Reflected in the Visa Bulletin

  • USCIS policy memo indicating that the listing of the advance notification of Diversity Visa (DV) availability in the Visa Bulletin enables the filing of DV adjustment applications with DV numbers ranked below the specified cut-off number, even though a visa is not yet available.
  • Pleae check the attached Policy memo.

Reminder on Priority Dates Movement

The August Visa Bulletin http://www.immigration.com/visa-bulletin shows good priority dates movement:

. India EB-2 advances from 2004 to 2008

. According to the visa bulletin there is a positive move for both spouses and children of permanent residents. Family-Based 2A category will be current for all countries as of August 1st.

. Green card holders and their spouses residing legally in the US should be able to file their I-485 packets in August