NOVEMBER 2021 WEBINAR

Join us for a review of some of the latest immigration changes and updates!

MU Law will be hosting a FREE webinar for our clients and friends on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 1PM Eastern (noon Central).

REGISTER HERE    

Join us for this FREE webinar to learn more about:

-          The Potential for Retrogression

-          Consular Backlogs

-          Expediting Cases for Health Care Workers

-          Additional updates and policy proposals and lobbying efforts

-          Covid Vaccinations now Required for Green Cards

PLEASE JOIN US

US Travel Restrictions Lifted for Fully Vaccinated Individuals

President Biden has issued a new proclamation lifting travel restrictions for fully vaccinated individuals travelling by air to the US beginning November 8, 2021.

Travelers from 33 countries – including India, China, Great Britain, and the Schengen Zone – have faced strict travel restrictions since early 2020 that required a two-week quarantine period in a third country before the individual may enter the US. President Biden’s proclamation lifts all country-specific COVID-19 travel bans.

To travel directly to the US by air, travelers will have to (1) present proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and (2) provide a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of travel. Only vaccines approved or authorized by either the Food and Drug Administration or World Health Organization will be accepted. This list includes vaccines created by:

-          Moderna;

-          Johnson & Johnson;

-          Pfizer-BioNTech;

-          Oxford-AstraZeneca/Covidshield;

-          Sinopharm; and

-          Sinovac.

The proclamation includes several exemptions from the vaccination requirement, including for children under 18, travelers with certain medical conditions, and non-tourists from countries identified by Center for Disease Control and Prevention as having limited availability of vaccination. However, some travelers who enter the US under one of the exemptions may be required to become vaccinated within 60 days of entry.

NOVEMBER 2021 VISA BULLETIN: ANALYSIS

The Department of State has just issued November 2021 Visa Bulletin.  This is the second Visa Bulletin of Fiscal Year 2022. This blog post analyzes this month's Visa Bulletin.

Visa Bulletin

Table A: Final Action Dates -- Applications with these dates may be approved for their Green Card (Permanent Residency card) or Immigrant Visa appointment.

EB	All Other	CHINA	INDIA	PHILIPPINES
1st	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	15-Nov-18	01-Dec-11	C
3rd	C	22-Mar-18	15-Jan-12	C

Table B: Dates of Filing

The USCIS will be using the Table B chart for I-485 employment-based filings. See: USCIS Visa Bulletin Dates

MU Law Analysis

The DOS continues to confound.  On one hand – and to the detriment of Indian and Chinese EB-3s – the DOS retrogressed dates massively.  EB-3 India Final Action dates retrogressed about two years, back to January 15, 2012. EB-3 China retrogressed to March 22, 2018, which is about 9 months.  Adding to the pain of Indian and Chinese EB-3s, Dates of Filing for these categories also retrogressed, which means that there will not be a chance for I-485 filings.

On the other hand, the dates for India and China EB-2, progressed.  India EB-2 moved ahead by three months.  China EB-2 advanced by 5 months.  Similar progressions occurred in the Dates of Filing chart.

The story was benign if confusing for Philippines and Worldwide EB-3, where dates held at Current. 

The confusion comes on the heels of last month’s DOS comments that implied retrogression in all categories, not just India and China EB-3.

NOVEMBER 2021 WEBINAR

Join us for a review of some of the latest immigration changes and updates!

MU Law will be hosting a FREE webinar for our clients and friends on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 1PM Eastern (noon Central).

REGISTER HERE

Join us for this FREE webinar to learn more about:

-          The Potential for Retrogression

-          Consular Backlogs

-          Expediting Cases for Health Care Workers

-          Additional updates and policy proposals and lobbying efforts

-          Covid Vaccinations now Required for Green Cards

PLEASE JOIN US!