Visa priority dates refer to visa applicants’ place in queue when the demand for the visa they are seeking exceeds the number of available visas.
When visa applicants’ priority dates become “current” or available, these applicants will typically be eligible to obtain permanent resident status in the U.S.
Below, we have pointed out some more important facts to understand about USCIS visa priority dates. If you are more concerned with filing a visa application or pursuing any change to your immigration status, however, don’t hesitate to contact a Los Angeles immigration lawyer at the Hanlon Law Group, PC.
What Visa Applicants Should Know about USCIS Priority Dates
- Where priority dates can be found – The priority date you have been issued can be found on the Form I-797, Notice of Action that was filed on your behalf.
- How priority dates are set – In general, priority dates are determined according to the specific demand for and supply of visas for a given category and a given country.
- Where to find out more information about visa eligibility – Each month, the Department of State publishes a Visa Bulletin, which is basically a guide that reports on the numbers of visas that have been issued versus those that are still available for different categories and countries. Based on the information in this guide, as well as visa eligibility at the time of an application, a visa application will either be processed, or the applicant will be given a priority date.
- How to check your place in queue – Visa applicants can check their place in line by referring to the DOS Visa Bulletin, which features the “most recent date when a visa number is available for different categories and countries for family-sponsored, employment-based and diversity (lottery) visas,” according to USCIS. If the Visa Bulletin has a “U” listed for a particular category or country, it means that the visa numbers for that category or country are not currently available.
Contact a Los Angeles Immigration Lawyer at the Hanlon Law Group, P.C.
Do you need help filing for a visa or resolving any immigration issue? If so, you can turn to a Los Angeles immigration lawyer at the Hanlon Law Group, P.C. For more than 15 years, our lawyers have been successfully representing clients in various types of immigration cases, including those that involve the most basic immigration applications to those associated with extremely complicated federal court litigation.
To learn more about our citizenship, immigration and deportation defense services contact us today by calling (626) 684-3712 or (866) 227-5527 or by emailing us using the form at the upper right-hand side of the screen. From our office in Pasadena, we serve clients throughout the Los Angeles area, across the state of California and from around the world.
We offer free, confidential initial consultations to provide potential clients with expert advice regarding their immigration law needs. Additionally, we are able to provide immigration legal services in various languages, including in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Bahasa Indonesian, Tagalog and Fukienese.
