What is the visa bulletin?

What is the visa bulletin?

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The US visa bulletin is one of the most important documents for migrants who apply for visas in the US because it informs when the application is processed following the established “priority date.”

This type of visa is requested when migrants have family and/or work ties with US citizens.

However, it is essential to mention that this request can take months, even years, to process. But, what would be the point of managing a visa if you are not aware of the visa bulletin?

Therefore, we want to explain what this bulletin is, how it works, its items and categories, and why it is important to have legal status in the country.

What is the US visa bulletin?

The visa bulletin is a legal and certified document issued by the United States government in monthly periods and where the availability and approval of visas for those who have pending applications are reported.

These visas are requested by those who have relatives in the US and who wish to reside in the country and are processed for other ties, such as work.

How does the visa bulletin work?

Its operation is very simple because it has two tables, which are: Application Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing Applications.

To read the bulletin results and know when residency will be granted, you must focus on the first table.

If you want to apply for the visa, you must check the second table, where you will see the date on which the process to manage your application opens.

Visa Bulletin Categories

Before explaining how to read this document, it is essential to mention the categories that exist to know which one it corresponds to and consider it in your research.

The categories are divided into two groups: family visas and work visas.

Family visas

• First Preference F1: Unmarried children of US citizens that are 21 years of age or older.
• Second Preference F2A: Spouses of permanent residents or children who are under 21 years of age.
• Second Preference F2B: Children of permanent residents who are unmarried and 21 years of age or older.
• Third Preference F3: Children of US citizens who are already married.
• Fourth Preference F4: Direct siblings of US citizens.

Work visas

• First preference F1: corresponds to people with extraordinary abilities or who are priority employees, such as multinational executives.
• Second preference F2: corresponds to people with exceptional abilities and professionals who have a postgraduate degree, who must have a job offer and be sponsored by the employer.
• Third Preference F3: Well-qualified workers, professionals, and other workers, who must have a job offer and be sponsored by the employer.
• Fourth preference F4: corresponds to reporters, journalists, religious, employees of the United States government in other countries, doctors, etc.
• Fifth Preference F5: Immigrant investors who want to work in the country.

Once you know which category you’re in, you’re just one step away from reading the newsletter.

How to read the bulletin of visas available in the US

You should now know the priority dates that appear in this bulletin to locate them and determine if the benefit is already available to you.

The priority date is when the application was filed and received by the country’s immigration department.

Where to see the priority date in the visa bulletin?

When you make your request, you receive a form called I-797, Notice Of Action, and in it, you can look for the Priority Date cell, where you will see this date.

But why is it so important to know the priority date to review the bulletin?

Because the report is made based on said dates, that is, you will not see a list of names and surnames, but you will see the priority date in which the department is working, and you will be able to verify if you already have the approval of the visa or not.

Let’s take an example; suppose your father is American, and the visa was processed through form I-130A.

Once the I-797 document arrives, you will be able to see the priority date. Suppose this is from May 04, 2022.

When you receive the visa bulletin, you will need to follow these steps:

• Locate the row of your category (F1, F2…).
• Locate the column of your country of origin.
• Find the intersection of the category with your country to determine which priority date was worked on.
• If the date is May 15, 2022, a visa is already available for you because it is after your priority date.
• If the date is February 15, 2022, the visa is not available for you.

It’s that easy to check it month by month.

Who should not wait for their visa?

Immediate relatives of the applicant should not wait for their visa. These relatives are the spouses, unmarried children under the age of 21, and the parents of the US citizen.

Importance of the US visa bulletin for migrants

This newsletter is important because it will inform you when your visa application is due and when your Green Card will be available.

It is a very important step to settle in the United States legally.

Talk to an immigration attorney for legal arrangements

Don’t leave legal matters to chance. Do not allow any doubt to be in your mind when you want to process your family or work visa.

We have a team of experienced immigration lawyers to make it easier for you to process, manage and keep track of these visas.

Ask us for advice, and we will gladly help you. Contact us today.