What is Visa Bulletin – Philippines about?
Analysis of the February 2021 Visa Bulletin issued by the U.S. State Department for Family Green Card Applicants who were born in the 🇵🇭Philippines.
Latest Visa Bulletin
Preference | Final Action | Movement | Remark | 🇵🇭Philippines Visa Bulletin for October 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Mar 1, 2012 | None | When making a point of the remarkable ineptitude of the Visa Office, observers often point to its treatment of PHIL cutoff dates. The incredible advancement of F1 in Fiscal Year 2020 will certainly give critics more ammunition. Who would advance a Final Action Date (FAD) during a pandemic year as much as the prior 5 years combined? Well, the same people who had the same FAD in early 2015 as in early 2018, but managed to have two massive retrogressions in-between (including a 5-year retrogression). | F1 Predictions |
| F2A | Oct 1, 2022 | +4 weeks | F2A has been 'current' since July 2019 and the only question is when it is going to end-- if ever. Up until August 2022, there was no indication that it would, but then F2A-Mexico retrogressed dramatically. October 2022 confirmed the hypothesis that the retrogression for Mexico was simply a way to keep overall Mexico numbers under the country limit, and had nothing to do with F2A. Another good news is the strong issuance of consular F2As, which are only 10% down from pre-pandemic levels in FY2022. F2A interviews are clearly prioritized over other preferences. | F2A Predictions |
| F2B | Oct 22, 2011 | None | Over the last 20 years, the best advancement for F2B-Phil was 2012 with 16 months. Then, came the pandemic year of 2020 when the Visa Office thought it would be a good idea to advance F2B by 36 months.... Just like mad Doctors packing the waiting room with patients that they will never be able to see. | F2B Predictions |
| F3 | Jun 8, 2002 | None | In the last two Fiscal Years of 2019 and 2020, F3 has moved forward as much as it did between 2004 and 2018. Even compared to their comrades F1-Phil and F2B-Phil, this might 'take the cake', as they say in the United States. This is clearly another reckless attempt by the Visa Office at creating Documentarily Qualified candidates that they did not even bother altering in the second half of a pandemic year. The timing of the retrogression is hard to time with that kind of erratic behavior, but it is going to be brutal and felt for years. | F3 Predictions |
| F4 | Aug 22, 2002 | None | The Visa Office set F4-Phil on this crazy upward trajectory since December 2019, making the last two Fiscal Years of 2019 and 2020 very different from anything we had ever seen. We are running out of words to describe the very poor approach and performance of the Visa Office with Phil. It feels like a concerted effort to learn nothing. Here also retrogression / long periods of stagnation are around the corner. | F4 Predictions |
For other areas see All Countries, and Mexico.
What about F1? (Children of U.S. Citizens who are adults, but not married)
Preference | Final Action | Movement | Remark | 🇵🇭Philippines, F1 - October 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F1 | Mar 1, 2012 | None | When making a point of the remarkable ineptitude of the Visa Office, observers often point to its treatment of PHIL cutoff dates. The incredible advancement of F1 in Fiscal Year 2020 will certainly give critics more ammunition. Who would advance a Final Action Date (FAD) during a pandemic year as much as the prior 5 years combined? Well, the same people who had the same FAD in early 2015 as in early 2018, but managed to have two massive retrogressions in-between (including a 5-year retrogression). | F1 Predictions |
This is an overview of our F1 predictions (see our 3-year prediction)
What about F2A? (Spouses of Green Card holders, or young Children of Green Card holders who are not married)
Preference | Final Action | Movement | Remark | 🇵🇭Philippines, F2A - October 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2A | Oct 1, 2022 | +4 weeks | F2A has been 'current' since July 2019 and the only question is when it is going to end-- if ever. Up until August 2022, there was no indication that it would, but then F2A-Mexico retrogressed dramatically. October 2022 confirmed the hypothesis that the retrogression for Mexico was simply a way to keep overall Mexico numbers under the country limit, and had nothing to do with F2A. Another good news is the strong issuance of consular F2As, which are only 10% down from pre-pandemic levels in FY2022. F2A interviews are clearly prioritized over other preferences. | F2A Predictions |
This is an overview of our F2A predictions (see our 3-year prediction)
What about F2B? (Children of Green Card holders who are adults, but not married)
Preference | Final Action | Movement | Remark | 🇵🇭Philippines, F2B - October 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F2B | Oct 22, 2011 | None | Over the last 20 years, the best advancement for F2B-Phil was 2012 with 16 months. Then, came the pandemic year of 2020 when the Visa Office thought it would be a good idea to advance F2B by 36 months.... Just like mad Doctors packing the waiting room with patients that they will never be able to see. | F2B Predictions |
This is an overview of our F2B predictions (see our 3-year prediction)
What about F3? (Children of U.S. Citizens who are adults and married)
Preference | Final Action | Movement | Remark | 🇵🇭Philippines, F3 - October 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F3 | Jun 8, 2002 | None | In the last two Fiscal Years of 2019 and 2020, F3 has moved forward as much as it did between 2004 and 2018. Even compared to their comrades F1-Phil and F2B-Phil, this might 'take the cake', as they say in the United States. This is clearly another reckless attempt by the Visa Office at creating Documentarily Qualified candidates that they did not even bother altering in the second half of a pandemic year. The timing of the retrogression is hard to time with that kind of erratic behavior, but it is going to be brutal and felt for years. | F3 Predictions |
This is an overview of our F3 predictions (see our 3-year prediction)
What about F4? (Brothers and Sisters of U.S. Citizens)
Preference | Final Action | Movement | Remark | 🇵🇭Philippines, F4 - October 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F4 | Aug 22, 2002 | None | The Visa Office set F4-Phil on this crazy upward trajectory since December 2019, making the last two Fiscal Years of 2019 and 2020 very different from anything we had ever seen. We are running out of words to describe the very poor approach and performance of the Visa Office with Phil. It feels like a concerted effort to learn nothing. Here also retrogression / long periods of stagnation are around the corner. | F4 Predictions |
This is an overview of our F4 predictions (see our 3-year prediction)
If I am going through Adjustment of Status, can I use the Filing Date?
It is generally not easy for applicants from the Philippines (except F2A) to use the ‘Filing Date’ of the Visa Bulletin because of how long they need to maintain legal status in the United States before they can file their Form I-485. Here is the latest:
Status | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes, the Filing Date can be used | |||
| Yes, the Filing Date can be used | |||
| Yes, the Filing Date can be used | |||
| Yes, the Filing Date can be used | |||
| Yes, the Filing Date can be used |
When will the Interview be scheduled?
The process of scheduling the interview is initiated by U.S. immigration agencies when the following two requirements are met:
- The applicant’s Priority Date is ‘current’ when compared to the relevant ‘Final Action Date’
- The applicant’s Green Card Case is ‘interview-ready’ (also called ‘case complete’ or ‘documentarily qualified’, meaning that all the proper Forms, Evidence, and Fees necessary to make a decision on the Green Card Application have been received by U.S. Immigration Agencies).
Being ‘current’ means that the applicant’s Priority Date (which is when Form I-130 was filed) is ‘earlier’ than the relevant Final Action Date. If the relevant Final Action Date is January 1st 2018, then applicants with a Priority Date ‘earlier’ (that is up to December 31st 2016) are said to be current.
The relevant Final Action Date refers to the Final Action Date that applies to applicants based on their preference classification (F1, F2A, F2B, F3, F4) and countries of birth (Mexico, All Countries, …).
The month when the applicant’s Priority Date is current, U.S. Immigration agencies look for an available Interview slot in the month after next (if the applicant’s priority date becomes current in January, then they will start looking for slots in March). How long applicants wait depend on how busy the U.S. Consulate or USCIS Field office is.
Philippines Visa Bulletin
Get Your TimelineHave you received your Welcome or Interview letter?
Get your detailed predictions and a personalized timeline based on USCIS processing times and community feedback. Updated each month to prevent mistakes and avoid delays.
