San Francisco Immigration Law Blog

DOS Releases Visa Bulletin for November 2016 The November 2016 Visa Bulletin has been released. https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/law-and-policy/bulletin/2017/visa-bulletin-for-november-2016.html It includes “Application Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications” for the family- and employment-based categories. The bulletin also includes the extension of the employment-based, fourth preference religious workers (SR) and employment-based, fifth preference pilot (I5 and R5) categories until December 9, 2016.

The EB-5 Immigrant Visa Category Filing Dates for China will retrogress October 1 from May 1, 2015 to June 15, 2014. The National Visa Center (NVC) confirms it will continue to accept fees, forms, and documents for EB-5 immigrant visa applications for persons from China, provided they are postmarked on or before September 30, 2016. The October 2016 Visa Bulletin

Today iCERT posted an update to PERM Prevailing Wage Processing Time of September at 90 days to October for 109 days. I suspect 120+ days may be anticipated for November. The most common form of green card sponsorship through employment is PERM labor certification. The first employment visas to the US are usually nonimmigrant visas. Because they take less time

CBP notice that the global entry program will be expanded to nine additional airports. Global Entry will become operational at all nine airports on or before 4/3/17. (81 FR 68442, 10/4/16) Expansion of Global Entry Program to Nine Additional Airports CBP is designating nine additional Global Entry airports. Each of these airports will have Global Entry kiosks for the use