The January 2007 priority dates: Visa again available for nurses and physical therapists!!

Visas for nurses and physical therapists, whose priority date was "unavailable" for December 2006, are available again, with a priority date of June 15, 2004. Most Family-Based Priority dates moved forward (or advanced) in January 2007, while Employment-Based priority dates remained the same.

Petitions by citizens:

The priority date for the First Preference Category, F-1 (unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens, over 21 years of age) moved forward by 14 days, from December 01, 1991 to December 15, 1991.

The Third Preference Category, F-3 (married sons and daughters of United States citizens) remained the same at February 8, 1991.

The Fourth Preference, F-4 (brothers and sisters of United States citizens) moved forward by one month, from June 1, 1984 to July 1, 1984.

Petitions by green card holders:

The Second Preference Category, F-2A (Spouse and minor children of green card holders) moved forward by 14 days, from March 1, 2002 to March 15, 2002.

The Second Preference, F-2B (unmarried sons and daughters, over 21 years of age, of green card holders) moved forward by 17 days, from August 22, 1996 to September 8, 1996.

Petitions by employers:

The Third Preference (professionals and skilled workers) of Employment-Based Petitions (Labor Certification) remained the same at August 1, 2002.

The Third Preference Schedule A (nurses/physical therapists) of Employment-Based Petitions went from "unavailable" to June 15, 2004.

The Third Preference (non-skilled workers) remained the same at October 1, 2001.

Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes the priority dates for that particular month. This means that visas would now be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your priority date was "current", but retrogressed before your immigrant visa was issued (or you adjusted status in the US), you would have to wait until it becomes current again.